Taking Hold
by LadyElemental
Summary: SPOILERS for Thor: The Dark World! Jane is more affected by the Aether than she let on. When Malekith comes to take that which is his, Thor will have a very different battle on his hands. At the end of it all, it comes down to a choice but is it a choice that he can force himself to make?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein. Sure ****wish I did though...**

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Taking Hold

Chapter One

"Now she's your prisoner?" Thor demanded, bursting into his Father's makeshift throne room. Odin All-Father looked down wearily at his son. He hadn't wanted to imprison the Lady Jane, but things had happened.

"I hadn't intended for that happen, but it is for the safety of your Midgardian woman and for the safety of Asgard," Odin said, standing beside a window and watching as people began clearing away debris.

"Father, what do you mean?" Thor asked gently, knowing that it was the only way to get the full story.

"I had hoped only to keep her in her chambers, with guards posted by her door. If Malekith attacked again, I would know where your Midgardian was at," Odin said. Thor fisted his hands at his Father's refusal to say Jane. But he remained silent. "However, when we approached her, things didn't go as we had planned."

"Was she hurt, Father?" Thor asked. Odin scoffed at him and Thor balked at the noise.

"Your Midgardian woman was not hurt, Thor. Rather, it was my men who were hurt by her."

"It must have been the Aether inside of her. Jane is a gentle soul, she would never strike at something that did not wish her harm," Thor said defensively.

"This was not the Aether, Thor," Odin said firmly, striking the ground with his staff. Abashed, Thor fell silent. "The Midgardian woman, whom you so defensively stand beside, attacked the palace guards outright. When the Aether defended itself, your Midgardian nary lifted a finger and grew weak thereafter. The palace guards had barely reached for her when your Midgardian – " But Thor cut him off abruptly.

"She has a name, Father," he growled, attempting not to yell at the All-Father. "It is Jane Foster."

"Do not talk back to me, Thor," Odin boomed, striking the floor again. "I am your father and your king. You would do well to remember that." Exhaling irritably, Thor held his tongue. "As I was saying," Odin continued. "When the palace guards reached for _Jane_," he said, spitting the name out, "she struck them down. A surprising feat for a Midgardian, I must admit. But I will not favor her just because she has stolen your fancy. She is to be treated as any other in my court. And if an Asgardian were to strike the guards, I would have them in prison just as quick."

"Let me speak with her Father," Thor pleaded, taking a few strides toward the throne where Odin had seated himself.

"Speak with her all you wish, and your brother while you're there, but she shan't be leaving," Odin said wearily. Thor saw the unbidden grief in his Father's eyes and quickly strode away. The All-Father was still grieving the loss of Asgard's Queen and he needed time. Perhaps it was that he found Jane responsible for Mother's death. It was a childish thought, Thor realized, but not one that he would place past his Father.

A few moments later, Thor strode into the prison block. The look on his face brooked no arguments and the guards stepped aside willingly. Thor paused briefly to try and locate Jane, but to no avail. He should have known that the magical walls would prevent such a thing.

"I wish to speak with the Lady Jane. Where is she?" he asked, turning to the nearest guard. Without a word, he was led down the hallway, past more and more cells. When most of them began to show up empty, Thor grew worried. Why would they place her in the back of the prison? Did Father truly see her as such a threat?

Finally, the guard stopped but gave no indication as to which cell was Jane's. Thor looked around him, perplexed when he noticed that the nearest were empty.

"If you are trying my patience, you will pay for it," Thor growled, striding up to the guard.

"She's just a few more down on your left, my Lord," the guard replied, the picture of calm, though inside, he must have been shaking.

"She is a Midgardian woman, why are you so afraid of her?" he asked. But the guard only shook his head. "A pox on you," he muttered under his breath, storming down the hall. He knew when he had found her cell; a chill he hadn't expected settled over him. But then he saw her sitting there, her knees drawn up to her chest and tears streaking over her face. Amidst her distress, Jane still looked lovely in the radiant blue silk she had been given. In some fit of rage, she had torn off her gauntlets and thrown them against the wall.

"Jane?" Thor called softly, kneeling beside the magical wall that separated them. She glanced up sharply, scrubbing at her face to hide the tears. If he had been able to, he would have stopped her from harming herself so.

"Thor," she breathed, then began to trip over her words in her rush to explain what had happened. "I-I was scared, I didn't know what they were during, an-and Malekith had just attacked, and your mother, I'm so sorry, I," she said, barely pausing to breathe. Words failed her when she saw Thor dip his head to hide his pain. Tears struck her again and she buried her face in her knees.

"Jane," he called, the smallest hint of royalty in his voice. "Jane, look at me," he said with more force while still being gentle. Sniffling, she brought her head up to look at him. "I wish I could wipe away your tears. But you need not feel so guilty, I do not blame you."

"Y-you don't?" she asked, voice breaking through her tears.

"No, but I wish to know what happened. Why do they have you here instead of in your chambers?" Thor asked, looking around with a frown on his face.

"I don't know what came over me, Thor," she whispered, looking away from him in shame. The tone of her voice caught him and he looked at her, quietly sitting there as he waited for her to continue. "They came to help me and I knew that, but I was scared. So I lashed out, unthinkingly. I don't remember everything but I remember being startled when one of them tapped me on the shoulder and then I was being guided down here. That's all I know."

"I believe you, Jane," he said after a moment's quiet, placing his hand on the magical wall. Golden runes appeared around his hand, fading the further away they were. "I swear to you, I will find a way to right the wrong my Father has done to you."

"He hates me," she muttered, turning away from him. Oh, how she vexed him. But perhaps it was this accursed cell separating them that vexed him so.

"My Father has done no such thing," Thor said, but his muscles were still tensed from her statement. Odin may not hate her, but it seemed as if he held Jane accountable.

"Thor, you can't tell me that he doesn't hate me," Jane argued. "The first time he saw me, he wanted me taken back the Himedale, or whatever it is," she said, frowning when she couldn't remember. Thor couldn't help but chuckle as he corrected her.

"His name is Heimdall," he said. She glowered at him, wiping at her face as she leaned back against the wall. "Jane, I needs must go now. I have to speak with my Father and get this righted," he said reluctantly. He didn't want to leave her, especially when he remembered that the Aether in her veins was draining her life force. But he needed to fix this.

"Hey," he said, the Midgardian word feeling strange on his tongue. But it was enough to get her to look at him once more. "I shall return for you, I promise," he said, looking her in the eye.

"Just like you said last time?" she said, the smallest hint of a sneer in her voice. Thor straightened abruptly, surprised by her tone.

"Jane, you cannot mean to hold that against me," he said, trying his best to be gentle. Even still, her words had angered him.

"You left me waiting for two years, Thor!" she cried, lunging against the magical wall. "But you had no problem coming back and helping S.H.I.E.L.D.! They were more important than me, weren't they?"

"No, Jane, never. But as a prince –" he started, but was cut off but her angry words.

"Oh, yes. As a prince," she snapped, using her fingers to air quote. "Was it too much to ask that you say hello before vanishing back into your cloud of thunder?" she yelled, frustrated tears in her eyes once more. By now, she was on her feet, pacing the small cell. Thor was still seated on the ground, watching her walk by. "I missed you, I turned all of my work into recreating the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. You could have at least let me know whether it worked from my end!" she shouted, striking the far wall. But the Aether lashed out at her movement, expanding rapidly across the cell before vanishing just as quick.

"No!" Thor cried out, lurching to his feet and slamming his fists against the wall. He watched helplessly as Jane crumpled, unconscious, on the ground. "Jane? Jane, wake up!" he called, banging on the magical wall in order to rouse her. Runes rippled across the division, but she did not stir. It took all of Thor's restraint to calm down enough to focus on her. "Thank the stars," he breathed when he heard her heartbeat, one hand still on the wall. She was only in a slumber, nothing more. With a reluctant sigh and a lingering look, he strode out of the prison block, roughly brushing past the guards on his way out.

As he made his way back across Asgard, he thought of how to approach his Father on the now delicate situation involving Jane. If Malekith had not struck Mother, he thought angrily, she would have been able to help him. Unfortunately, he was alone in dealing with Father, not even aided by Loki's silver tongue.

"Friend, you look troubled," a voice said from beside him. He turned to see Sif, still dressed in battle armor, leaning on the balcony railing beside him.

"Jane is not well and Father has wrongfully imprisoned her," he replied, glaring down at the golden streets of Asgard.

"I am sure the All-Father had his reasons," Sif said, trying to placate her friend. But it only served to enrage him.

"To protect her should Malekith attack again?" he snarled, rounding upon her and throwing his Father's excuse at her. "All he has done is remove her from my sight and protection. If Malekith chooses to attack again, she will not be safe in the back of the prison where the guards do not look upon her. They have managed to break through those rune walls already; where do you think our biggest problem came from today?" Sif had no words; she wanted to console him but she didn't need to enrage him further.

"Then go talk with the All-Father, Thor," she said, watching him intently. He exhaled heavily, rolling his eyes at her suggestion.

"I have no choice," he grumbled. "But I pleaded my case earlier when Fandral told me she had been imprisoned. I do not think that he will listen to me a second time. All I would be doing is risking his anger." He looked at Sif with pleading eyes, welcoming any help she could give him. He could lead armies into battle and return victorious, but place him before the All-Father, or even Jane, and he knew not what to do.

"How much rides on her wellbeing?" Sif asked after a moment's quiet. She refused to meet his eyes, instead focusing quite intently on a market stall below. Thor chose his words carefully, refusing to acknowledge just how smitten he was.

"Not just my heart," he said slowly, "but the good of Asgard and the Nine Realms. I need to keep her away from Malekith, but I also need to find a way to remove the Aether from within her. And I can do neither while she is locked away." Sif nodded steadily, though her hands seemed to shake.

"Then go and talk with your Father one more time," she urged, touching him lightly on the arm. "Let me know how it goes." Before Thor could stop her, Sif walked away, an air of purpose about her. With a groan, he strode back toward the throne room.

Odin was sitting in the throne, looking over a scroll of parchment. Thor had barely stepped through the door when Odin spoke, his deep voice booming across the empty hall.

"I presume you have just returned from the prisons?" he asked, not bothering to look up.

"I have, Father," Thor replied, moving to stand at the foot of the throne. He was silent, waiting for Odin to speak. He hated to be impatient, but a Midgardian life was fleeting, and he did not know how much time Jane had. He waited a few more minutes, but when Odin remained silent, he could wait no more.

"Father, Jane is in need of help," he said. "When I was visiting her, she became upset and the Aether reacted when there was no cause to." Odin seemed interested in that last piece of information for he set aside the parchment and looked at Thor. "She grew weak and I fear for her."

"Then I shall send healers to the prison, though they may do no good," Odin said. Thor resisted the urge to growl.

"She needs to be released, Father. You have wrongfully imprisoned her and she is no more safe there than she would be in Midgard," Thor said.

"She remains where she is. I would not be able to keep an eye on the Aether if she were to return to Midgard," Odin replied before sighing. "Thor, I know you wish to have her by her side but she has wronged me."

"I told you it was not her, Father. And she does not remember striking the guards," he said, voice surprisingly steady. "Have you not seen fit to question her yourself?" It could very well be considered an insult to his King, and he knew that he was treading a fine line.

"Thor," Odin threatened, ignoring the insult of his son, "if you continue to bring this before me, I shall have no issues with stripping you of your power. This Midgardian woman has clearly distracted you and makes me wonder if you are still worthy of Mjolnir."

"Jane Foster does not distract me, Father. I am simply trying to look out for Asgard," Thor said in a low voice, before storming out of the hall. His Father's threat held merit and he did not want to be separated from Jane any more than need be.

He walked blindly through Asgard, so deep in his rage that he did not see what was before him. It was only when Volstagg bumped his shoulder and chuckled that Thor realized he had entered the training hall of the Warriors Three. He glanced up, seeing Fandral and Sif talking by the window. She nodded when their eyes met. Hogun was still on Vanaheim, it seemed.

"I hear we have us a lady to rescue," Volstagg said, chuckling. Of course, Sif would rally the Warriors to his side.

"I have asked of no such thing," Thor denied with a chuckle, hands in the air.

"But your Lady is in need of assistance," Fandral said, striding towards them. "Sif has told us all about her plight."

"A plight that my Father has seen fit to place upon her," Thor argued. "As you well know, Fandral. There is naught we can do." But Sif could feel the anger rolling off of him, even as he reached for a sword on the wall. He palmed the grip in his hand a few times, slicing through the air to test the weight of it.

"Been some time since you've battled with a sword," Sif commented, still standing by the window. Thor nodded, placing the sword back upon the rack. He was angry and wanted to fight but he would not take it out on Sif or the Warriors Three.

"Thor, either your righteous nature or your love for this girl is compelling you to fix what your Father has done," Fandral said with a serious note. "And we are willing to help. Just tell us what you wish to do."

"See, he even has the look of a plan forming in his eye," Sif noted with a light laugh. It was true, a plan was forming in his mind but it was one that would surely cause Odin to cast him out. But he would not risk the standing of his friends.

"I would not ask it of you," he said, but at the same time, wondered how he would pull it off without their help.

"A king needs a woman he loves as much as she loves him. How else will they support each other through the perils of ruling a kingdom?" Sif asked, watching as his eyes hardened. He truly did not want to lose Jane, she realized. He would never be able to find another like her. "And if the Lady Jane is that woman, then we will help you rescue her."

"Ay!" Fandral and Volstagg agreed, the latter thumping his hand on the table.

"It could very well mean treason, whether it works or not," Thor warned, glancing at each of his friends in turn. The looks they gave him said that it did not matter. He smiled. "I could ask for no better friends than you."

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**Well, here we go again. Trying to make another fanfic, only about Thor this time. So basically, I'm changing one small thing in this story. Jane is going to be more visibly affected the Aether than she was in Thor: The Dark World. So, please R&R and let me know what you think.  
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**~LE**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein.**

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Taking Hold

Chapter Two

The plan to rescue Jane had been simple and everything went accordingly. Much to his friends' displeasure, Thor had no choice but to team up with Loki. Odin had ordered the Bifröst closed to prevent another invasion from Malekith. Loki knew of ways to travel between the realms without Heimdall's attention. Because what Heimdall knew, Odin knew.

Sif had been unusually nervous when approaching the prison, probably because they weren't just going for Jane. Sif had a deep-seated distrust of Loki, worsened by his actions on Earth. So much so, that she had pulled Thor aside and asked that he grab Loki while she go for Jane. While Thor had wanted to check on Jane immediately, he understood that it meant less time in the prison overall. And less time in which to get caught.

Loki, as ever, tried his brother's patience. They were waiting near the entrance for Sif and Jane. There was silence between them but that didn't stop Loki from preoccupying himself with mindless tricks. He had found a rat and every few minutes would change the appearance. After it had taken the miniature form of one of Odin's wolves for the fifth time, Thor snapped.

"Brother, have you nothing better to do?" he said, turning to look at the Jotun beside him.

"Since we must wait for your Midgardian mistress from the back of the prison, I must keep myself occupied somehow," he said, sniffing. Thor suppressed a growl; he had no intent of making Jane his mistress. Rather, he saw her as his companion and the future Queen of Asgard. "Would you rather I practiced my illusions on you?" he asked.

"Perhaps you could make yourself a little less conspicuous," Thor suggested dryly.

"Oh, you mean like this?" he asked as the light shifted around him. Loki was no longer there, but a palace guard instead.

"Better company at least," Thor muttered.

"But then, wouldn't Asgard's prince stand out, sitting next to a lowly guard like me?" Thor glared at his brother, already knowing where his tricks were leading. He rolled his eyes when light shifted around him, and he took the appearance of another. He glanced down briefly, shock registering on his features when he noticed Sif's armor.

"It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form," he said simply, turning towards his brother. Loki sighed, frowning at his ruined fun as they returned to normal. He sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands as he thought of a way to occupy himself.

"Perhaps you wish to be with one of your companions of Midgard. Given that you seem to like them so much," Loki suggested suddenly, shifting once more. Out of the corner of his eye, Thor saw Captain America sitting beside him now. "I like this, this is much better! The costume's a bit much, a little tight," he griped, looking down at himself before examining the shield. Then he jumped to his feet, grinning. "I'm brimming with confidence, surging with righteousness! Do you want to have a rousing discussion about truth? Patriotism? Honor? As the Midgardians say, god bless America!" Loki said, grinning like the madman he was.

Thor had to suppress a chuckle as Loki shifted back. It was rather amusing to see him impersonate Captain Rogers. He wondered briefly how Loki had seen the Man of Iron's personality. But he would not give his brother any ideas.

"Still nothing," Loki grumbled, dropping back into his seat with his chin in his palms again. More silence fell between them. Neither of them tried to break the silence as Loki cared not for conversations with his "brother" and Thor was more distracted with thoughts of Jane.

Thor refused to believe that her anger earlier was anything but that. He had truly wanted to visit with Jane when he had retrieved Loki from their "New York". But he had a duty to his people and he could not leave Loki lying about while he said hello to her. The way he saw it, it shouldn't matter now that they were together. Thor desperately wanted to believe that it was her own anger with him when she lashed out but he could not deny the look of her that was not entirely human. If it was the Aether doing this to her, then he'd - No, he wouldn't believe that it was the Aether.

He was distracted from his thoughts when he saw the light shifting before him again. It seemed Loki had grown bored and decided to use Thor to relieve that boredom once more.

"Hmm, I can see why you would be so distracted with this Midgardian," Loki said. Thor whipped his head around to look at his brother, surprised to see brown hair flying in his face instead of his golden blonde. In fact, it startled him so much that he leapt to his feet, noticing blue silk around his sandals, not his boots. At once, he was very angry. He was angered even more by Loki's laughter from below him.

"She is quite pretty," Loki laughed. "But given the situation, I suppose that would make you quite pretty as well. Ravishing, even." Without a word, Thor grabbed Loki by the lapels of his coat, hauling him up and slamming him against the wall, one arm at his throat. In his surprise, Loki's magic dissipated, taking the image of Jane Foster away.

"Do not meddle in matters that concern Jane," he threatened. "Because it might be the last thing you do, brother." Unable to speak, Loki swallowed harshly, inclining his head as much as he could. Thor released him, shrugging his black cloak back into place.

"Would you stop calling me 'brother'?" Loki asked, straightening out his clothes. "You know that I am not."

"Even if you are not blood, you are still my brother," Thor maintained, the tone of his voice allowing no argument. Just as Loki sat back down, Thor lurched to his feet.

"Do you no longer deign to sit beside me?" he asked. But then he saw two shadowy forms approaching him and quickly used his magic to disguise himself. He relaxed, however, when he saw that it was Sif and the Midgardian.

"Jane, are you alright?" Thor asked, immediately embracing her. Jane seemed a bit hesitant to return the embrace but did so all the same.

"I'm fine," she replied, ducking her head to avoid his eyes. She glanced around the area, eyes landing harshly on Loki. "This is your brother?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. Thor followed her gaze, pausing a moment before answering her.

"Yes, this is Loki." No one had a chance to speak as Jane strode over to him. She looked him over once and then reared back and clocked him square in the jaw. Thor and Sif both suppressed their approving laughter as Loki recovered and shook his head.

"I think I like her," he said, rubbing his jaw. "Surprisingly, that hurt and I'm not one hundred percent certain of what I think."

"That was for New York," Jane declared, stomping away from him and back to Thor's side. "So, we're sneaking out of jail then?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, about that," Loki said. "It is so unlike both of you, brother. Are you sure you wouldn't rather just punch your way out?" he suggested, raising one eyebrow.

"Keep speaking and I just might," Thor said with a look that said Loki would be his weapon of choice. He swallowed thickly and fell silent. Thor glanced at Jane and realized that in their hurry, they had forgotten to grab a cloak for her. Loki could very well disguise himself but Jane was not granted that ability. He noted that she was startled when he draped his own heavy leather cloak around her tiny shoulders, fastening it so that it created a hood. She looked up at him with unreadable dark eyes.

"Okay, Thunder God, let's go," Sif said, clapping him on the arm and making her way towards the exit. He grabbed her arm before she could get too far and pulled her back towards the group. She was about to protest but he silenced her with a finger against his lips. Motioning silently, he urged them back into the shadows, just as a pair of guards walked by. Thor stuck his head out after a moment and noted that it was clear.

"Close call," Loki said. "You could at least furnish me with a weapon in case it happens again. A dagger, or something," he whined. From the corner of his eye, he saw Thor reaching for something at his back. "Finally, some common sense," he said, grinning. But the grin fell from his face when he realized what Thor had grabbed. It certainly wasn't a dagger, for he now found himself handcuffed. He held his wrists up in explanation.

"I thought you liked tricks," Thor declared, smiling before leading them out of the prison.

Thor was still baffled that they managed to sneak out of the prison and then through Asgard without meeting any opposition. It was only as they were meeting Volstagg at the crash site of the small Elven ship that they were caught.

"Stop!" the guards shouted, rushing through the hall. They all paused, looking behind them to see what was happening.

"Go," Thor said, pushing Jane and Loki towards the ship and reaching out his hand for Mjolnir. Just as the mighty hammer flew into his hand, Volstagg unsheathed his sword and leapt in front of him. "What are you doing? I can help," he urged, swinging the hammer in a wide arc.

"You need to go," Volstagg said. "Your Lady needs you and you do not need to be caught." Thor frowned, the arc of his hammer slowing as he debated internally. He was preparing to knock down one of the nearer guards when Volstagg growled.

"Woman, I can do this on my own," he said. Thor looked up to see Sif on Volstagg's other side, sword in hand. She scowled when she saw him.

"Be gone with you. Otherwise, it shall be all for naught," she said, the crease above her brows deepening. Realizing that neither needed him, Thor nodded and boarded the ship. The controls were confusing and after touching a few buttons, Thor resorted to slamming on the panel.

"Well, whatever you're doing, brother, I suggest you do it faster," Loki advised, watching over Thor's shoulder. Thor only growled at him. "You must have missed something," he said when still nothing happened.

"I didn't, I am pressing every button on this thing," Thor replied, doing just that.

"No, don't hit it. Just press it, gently," he suggested smoothly.

"I am pressing it gently, it's not working!" he shouted, striking at the console. After a few strikes, Jane stepped beside him and gently pushed his hands aside. After quickly selecting a few buttons, the ship roared to life and lifted off the ground. She smirked at him and then motioned that he should take the helm. He smirked back at her before flying the ship out of the hall.

"Hmm, I think you missed a column," Loki said thoughtfully, watching the columns fall behind them.

"Did he now?" Jane asked excitedly, peering out the window. "You should go back and hit that one as well. There'd be fewer guards after us." Her tone was so nonchalant that they both turned to look at her.

"Shut up, Loki. Are you feeling well, Jane?" Thor asked.

"She is clearly feeling fine, brother. Now pay attention and take care not to hit that wall," Loki said, pointing in front of them. But Thor simply burst through the wall, uncaring of the damage it would do. "Look, why don't you let me take over? I'm clearly the better pilot." Thor chuckled, reaching over to tap a button.

"Is that right? Tell me, out of the two of us, which one can actually fly?" he asked, raising one eyebrow as he looked at his brother.

"He's got a point," Jane said. Loki looked at her with a hurt expression on his face. He wasn't able to respond, however, as the ship's maneuvering made conversation nearly impossible. But the fact that Thor actually thought he could pilot the ship was amusing and Loki couldn't help but chuckle.

"Whoa, what is that thing?" Jane asked, moving to the front of the cabin as they flew over the city. But whatever it was, Thor crashed into it a moment later. "Hmm, guess I'll never know," she murmured.

"Not a word," Thor said to Loki. "And that was a gun turret."

"You have guns?" Jane asked, turning her head to look at him with astonishment. "So why does everyone still use swords and shields?"

"Because we think ourselves to be advanced but truly we are not," he replied. "As I told your son of Coul when I was in New York, we battle like bilgesnipe – trampling everything in our path. It is no wonder we have not moved past the swords and shields. I fear for the Nine Realms on the day that we do. Besides, we are quite fond of our swords and shields."

"Now they're following us," Loki alerted, looking around them. Thor glared at him, already aware of that piece of information.

"This is news how?" Jane asked sarcastically, watching as lasers fired past them.

"And now they're firing at us," Loki said, purposefully trying to annoy someone.

"Yes, thank you for commentary, Loki. It's not at all distracting!" Thor shouted, leveling out the ship after another flip to avoid their pursuers. By now, they were rapidly approaching a tunnel.

"Thor, are we going to make this?" Jane asked, a slight hint of panic in her voice.

"Do you not trust me, Jane Foster?" he asked, trying to hide his smirk as they entered the tunnel. He tilted the ship a second too late. The wing destroyed one of the towering statues while the sounds of more than one crashing ship followed them.

"Well done," Loki said. "You've just decapitated your grandfather."

"One more word, Loki," Thor threatened.

"That should be interesting," Jane said delightfully. "I dare ya." Loki just cocked his head, trying to understand her. She seemed so mischievous; it was surprising that Thor had fallen for her.

"Brace yourselves," Thor warned. They had barely enough time to do just that before the ship crashed through the other side of the tunnel.

"You know, this is wonderful, a tremendous idea!" Loki griped as the ship flew over the ocean. "Let's steal the biggest, most obvious ship in the universe and escape in that! Flying around the city, smashing everything in sight so that everyone can see us! It's brilliant, Thor, it's truly brilliant. And if you had let me fly, I wouldn't have destroyed the whole city," Loki added, trying to cross his arms and failing. They had passed over the Bifröst by now and were sailing smoothly over the rolling ocean just outside of Asgard. Thor began to set the autopilot while Loki kept talking. "They are still following us and firing. If you had let me fly, I would have lost them by – " But Thor had pushed him through the open wall of the cabin.

"Are you insane?" Jane asked as he swept her into his arms. There was no need for her to mess this up. It was crucial that they leave the ship and if she dug in her heels, as the Midgardians said, his timing would be ruined.

"Only because you drive me to such ends," he quipped, smirking down at her. He strode toward the open wall and she began to panic.

"Thor, what are you doing?" she asked, nails digging painfully into the scale armor he wore. She couldn't stop the scream she emitted as he leapt from the cabin and dropped through the air. A second later, they were in an Asgardian air ship with a laughing Fandral at the helm.

"I see your time in the dungeons has made you no less graceful, Loki," Fandral said.

"Have some faith in me, Jane Foster. Lest you wound me," he said, smirking as she dropped out of his arms. She scowled, shoving against his chest hard enough that he actually stumbled back a step. An unreadable expression crossed the men's faces as Jane sat down at the front of the ship and watched the water moving beneath them. Fandral seemed concerned, but nowhere near as concerned as Thor felt. If she was capable of moving him, then there was no longer a doubt in his mind that the Aether was affecting her. He just hoped that he could fix this before anything else happened.

"You lied to me," Loki noted. "I'm impressed."

"The sooner we can get to Svartalfheim, the better," Thor muttered, ignoring Loki as he turned to sit beside Fandral.

"Why are we going to the home world of the Dark Elves?" Jane asked, turning to look at him.

"To prevent another attack on Asgard," Thor said simply. But the look in Jane's eyes said that she understood the whole reason of why they were leaving Asgard.

"I don't believe we've said anything about Svartalfheim," Loki said quietly so that only Fandral and Thor could hear. "We've had no reason to visit that realm since Bor vanquished the Dark Elves."

"So how does she know that it's their home world?" Fandral asked, just as quiet.

"Enough," Thor growled. "It is bad enough that she is infected with the Aether. Do not add to my troubles."

"Thor, we can't take care of something if we do not know about it," Fandral argued. He opened his mouth to continue but Thor cut him off.

"I will hear no more of it," he said, words resounding with the voice of a king. Fandral fell silent but Loki had a harder time listening.

"Brother," Loki said, stressing the word in hopes of catching Thor's attention. "Fandral has a point. If we do not know the extent of the illness the Aether is causing, then she cannot be cured."

"Loki, do not try my patience or I will have no quarrel with throwing you back in jail myself," Thor replied. There was no more arguing to be done, however, as an Asgardian air ship began firing from behind.

"Ah, I believe that's my cue," Fandral said, handing the controls to Loki. Thor dipped his head in farewell as Fandral leapt from the back of the air ship. Loki glanced over the edge to see that Fandral had landed in the other air ship and had effectively taken out their pursuers. Fandral waved quickly before turning back for Asgard.

"Now where is this portal?" Thor asked as Loki directed the ship higher into the air.

* * *

**So much fun in escaping. R&R to let me know what you think!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein.**

* * *

Taking Hold

Chapter Three

The journey across the water was silent until they came upon a small range of mountains. Loki's grin was maniacal as he urged the air ship faster. It was Thor's turn to panic as he thought Loki was going to crash into the mountainside.

"Have you all gone mental?" Jane cried, turning to look at whoever was flying the ship. "You're gonna get us killed!"

"Well, if getting to the portal was easy, everyone would be doing it," Loki replied simply, urging the ship a bit faster and aiming for a small cave. Jane hunkered down in the front of the ship and Thor instinctively moved to shield her from harm. It was Loki's insane laughter that told them they had passed through the portal a few moments later. Jane peered over the edge of the air ship, noting a dark and barren landscape, nothing like the beautiful and gilded Asgard they had just left. Then she realized that Thor was practically on top of her, pressing her down into the seat.

With a grunt, she wiggled herself free of his pressing weight and sat up, brushing her hair back from her face.

"Ta-da. Was that not fun?" Loki asked, grinning as the ship slowed to a more gentle pace.

"You're lucky you're the pilot," Jane snarled. Thor noticed her dark brown eyes had turned icy blue while she spoke. "Otherwise, I might have punched you again." He reached out to touch her arm gently but she shrugged him off. The action hurt him more than it should have. But he supposed it had a positive note: he did not want to find out what the Aether's retaliation felt like.

"Jane, do you care not for me?" Thor asked, unable to stop himself. Loki rolled his eyes from the back of the ship. But she didn't answer him, only staring at him intently before dropping back into her seat. With a heavy sigh, Thor sat down somewhere in the middle of the ship.

"I don't know what I feel anymore," Jane said. Her voice was quiet and he almost missed her words, even with his sensitive hearing.

"Jane, I thought there was something between us when I was on Earth. You mean to tell me that it was nothing?" he asked in astonishment, turning to face her. When she looked at him, he noted in the back of his mind that her eyes were still blue and her skin pale.

"Maybe it was," she said simply, turning away once more. Loki saw his brother's face fall before becoming impassive.

"Perhaps that's for the best," Loki said softly. Thor rounded on him instantly.

"You think this to be a game?" he shouted. He no longer cared that Jane was there and listening. "You think it 'for the best' that my love is dying? And spurning me to boot? Loki, you do not know what my exile was like or how she has helped me. She changed me and I will not stand idly by while this happens to her."

"Then you have misinterpreted my words," Loki replied. "I meant only that it's for the best if you do not cling so tightly. It will hurt less should things go wrong."

"And you expect this to happen?" Thor demanded. Loki was silent for a time and Thor let the conversation drop.

"What I could do with the power that flows through those veins," he mused, watching Jane at the fore of the ship. There was a dazed look in her eyes and she appeared not to hear them.

"It would consume you," Thor replied, not bothering to look up.

"She's holding up quite well, for now," Loki implied.

"She's strong in ways you couldn't imagine," he maintained, refusing to give Loki his game.

"Say goodbye," Loki sneered, leaning towards his brother with a gleeful look on his face.

"Not this day," Thor snapped, eyes landing on the Jotun harshly. But Loki already had his game; he had resurrected the painful and unavoidable conversation from earlier. Thor looked away, hiding the impending heartbreak in his eyes.

"This day, the next, a hundred years – it's nothing, a heartbeat. You'll never be ready," he said. Surely Thor could see this; could see that he was only setting himself up for pain in the future.

"And will that satisfy you?" he asked glumly.

"Satisfactions not in my nature," Loki said calmly, shrugging his shoulders a bit.

"And surrenders not in mine," he snapped.

"We were both hurt by the loss of Mother," he said quietly. "You saw me in my anguish, Son of Odin, while you seemed so composed." His tone was almost insulting.

"No, not just Odin; of Frigga as well. You think you alone were loved of Mother? And that her loss was nothing to me?" Thor boomed. "You may have had her tricks but I had her trust."

"Trust?" Loki sneered. "Was that her last expression, when you let her die?"

"And what help were you, in your cell," Thor snarled, rising from his seat in anger.

"Who put me there?" he demanded. "Who put me there?!"

"You know damn well!" Thor shouted, his rage getting the better of him. He slammed Loki back against the helm and prepared to strike him. His brother didn't even flinch, just stared impassively back. It took all of Thor's restraint to only rustle him as he lowered his fists. "She wouldn't want us to fight," he spat, shoving Loki away from him.

"Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked," Loki replied, raising an eyebrow. His hands, though still in the cuffs, were raised a bit to protect him. Thor chuckled to himself; no, their Mother would not be shocked that they were fighting. Oft times, it was the only way they interacted and there had been a few occasions where they had actually behaved nicely and Frigga had worried that something was amiss between them.

"They should be here soon," Thor said, staring out over the landscape. His hands were tightly gripping the side of the ship, probably the only way he was resisting a fight with Loki. "We should park the ship. Over on that ledge should work," he said, pointing to a spot ahead of them. Loki nodded, though no one saw it, and changed the direction they were heading. Everyone was silent as they climbed out and looked across the landscape.

Jane inhaled sharply, lifting her face to the dry wind and listening to the quiet sounds of Svartalfheim. There was bliss on her face and Thor suspected that it was something he would not find joy in himself.

"They're already here," she said, pointing across the cracked land. Thor saw it a second later; the massive ship was landing, becoming visible as the bottom point hovered inches off the ground. Jane moved eagerly to the cliff's edge, watching the ship intently. Thor moved to follow her a bit more solemnly, but Loki caught his arm awkwardly.

"I do hope you have a plan," he implied, glancing towards Jane, excitement rolling off her in waves.

"Of course I do," he replied. Before Loki could say another word, Thor followed after Jane. Loki watched as he instinctively reached out to grasp Jane's hand but caught himself partway there. His shoulders appeared to slump a bit but he straightened a moment later. Loki knew what he had to do now but that didn't make it any easier. Sighing softly, he stepped beside Thor.

"Was that to be my only purpose?" he asked. "Taking you to Svartalfheim?" Thor cast a sidelong glance at him.

"Loki, you should know better than that," he quipped, unlocking the handcuffs. Loki twirled his wrists and worked his shoulders. A day in handcuffs was still agitating after his many experiences with defying the All-father.

"Perhaps Odin knocked me on the head when he was bringing me back to Asgard," Loki said thoughtfully. They both smirked despite themselves.

"I wish I could trust you, brother," Thor said, watching as Malekith and his Dark Elves exited the ship.

"Why don't you trust me?" he asked.

"Would you?" Thor glanced at him briefly, before turning back to watch Malekith and crossing his arms.

"No, I wouldn't," Loki said, stealthily slipping out a dagger. In a blinding flash, he reached over and buried the blade into Thor's stomach before pushing him off the cliff unceremoniously. He turned to see Jane but she was merely striding towards the cliff and making her way down the slope, skidding as she went. With a joyous grin, Loki hurried after his brother as he struggled to rise. A well-placed kick sent Thor rolling across the barren landscape.

Loki skipped after him again. After a second to recover, Thor reached out his hand, silently calling for Mjolnir. But Loki would have none of that, quickly sliding his dagger across Thor's wrist and halting the hammer's journey.

Thor cried out, cradling his wrist against his chest and knocking Loki's feet from under him as he swept to his own feet. He sought out Jane, hoping to see that she was alright but his heart plummeted when he laid eyes on her.

Jane was standing beside Malekith, head held high as she watched Thor struggle with Loki. He had jumped to his feet, searching for Jane as well. As much as he claimed not to care for Thor, his brother's broken expression hurt him enough that his magic faltered. The illusion of their fight faded and all damage thought to have been done with it.

"Jane, do not do this," Thor pleaded, dropping his hands to his side when he noticed the illusion was gone. "Please, this is not you," he urged, stepping towards her.

"I do not think that wise, Asgardian," Malekith said, dark voice echoing across the plain.

"You will stay out of this, Elf," Thor growled back. This was not how the plan was supposed to go. Malekith was supposed to draw the Aether out of Jane when he was thought to be weakened. Why was Jane standing by his side? He did not understand. He gave a sidelong glance to Loki for help.

"How can I stay out of this when she has clearly chosen my side," Malekith replied. "Face the truth, God of Thunder, she no longer wishes to be yours."

"NO!" Thor shouted, calling out for Mjolnir as he ran towards Malekith. The hammer reached him just as he swung at the Elf, catching him full in the face with the Uru weapon. Malekith flew to the side, skidding to a halt some distance away. With the Elf out of his way, Thor approached Jane.

"Jane, come with me. Surely there is someone on Asgard who can remove the Aether," he said, reaching out to touch her arm. But the Aether retaliated, knocking him on his ass a few feet away before he could even feel her skin. Malekith chuckled darkly, striding back towards his ship.

"And what if I don't _need_ help?" Jane asked, glaring down at Thor. The words were like a bucket of ice water on his head.

"Jane Foster, listen to yourself. You know not what you speak," Thor urged, pushing himself to his feet. "The Aether is an evil force and it is killing you. You heard my Father say this with your own ears." A flicker of doubt flashed across her face, lingering a bit in her eyes. It seemed he was finally getting somewhere.

"She has told you that she does not require your help," Malekith interrupted. "Are all Asgardians this thick-skulled?" he asked. He smiled, placing one hand protectively on Jane's shoulder. Thor was enraged to see no retaliation – so much so that he began to swing the hammer and loosed it at the Dark Elf. His laugh ended on a whoosh as the air left his lungs. Mjolnir carried him until he collided with the wall of his ship. With a motion of his hand, the hammer returned to Thor.

"Do you dare insult me again?" he snarled. "Me, the God of Thunder, the prince of Asgard? You dare insult me?" By now, Mjolnir was swinging rapidly from Thor's hand. The resulting wind was strong enough to even whip Jane's hair around and he noticed that her eyes were bright with excitement. There was a faint smile on her face, as if she enjoyed watching the men fight over something this petty. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. There wasn't any time to dwell on it, however, as Loki stepped beside him.

"Yes, because now there are two of us you have mindlessly insulted," Loki said, glaring at Malekith.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Malekith asked, grunting as he pushed himself off of the ship's outer wall.

"Do you know who we are?" he asked. "That in itself should scare you."

"The Gods of Thunder and Mischief are supposed to scare me?" Malekith laughed heartily, almost bent double from his merriment. "One wields a hammer and the other magic. Honestly, that's not a very frightening pair."

"But you've not seen us in action," Loki quipped. "Not truly, anyways. And certainly not yet."

"Still easy enough for my men," Malekith said, grinning as he motioned with his hand.

"Do you have your scepter, Loki?" Thor asked, never taking his eyes off of Malekith.

"No, you wouldn't let me grab it from the weapons vault before we left Asgard," he hissed, brandishing his dagger.

"Hmm, I hope you are skilled in hand to hand combat then," Thor replied.

"Wouldn't you believe it?" he said, settling into a crouch. As Malekith strode towards them, he raised Mjolnir to the sky. Thunder echoed around them as lightning struck the hammer. After a minute, he pointed the hammer at Malekith and the lightning collided with him. But he somehow managed to manipulate a bit of the Aether from Jane into forming a shield around him at the last second for he still stood when the storm cleared away. He grinned when he saw the shocked look on Thor's face and charged at him. Despite being of a different race, Malekith was still strong enough to knock Thor down when he bullrushed. Thor dropped the hammer on reflex and struggled to dislodge the Elf.

"Give up, Asgardian," Malekith said, striking Thor across the jaw. "You can never win now that I have the Aether. Eternal darkness shall fall upon this universe, as it was meant to be."

"Then you have thought wrong, Elf," Thor said, bashing his head against Malekith's. "I will never let you leave here; not with Jane by your side nor to unleash darkness upon all. Your kind no longer belong here."

"And a tiny human belongs with yours?" he remarked, laughing through the dark blood streaming from his nose.

"She belongs to no one," Thor growled. "But she is under my protection, as is the Earth and the other Realms." A cruel smirk appeared on Malekith's pale lips.

"If that is the case, then I shall have no quarrels with treating her like the rest of Earth once the darkness has fallen," he said. Malekith lashed out, aiming to strike Thor in the jaw. But Thor blocked it with his forearms, before slamming a fist into the Dark Elf's stomach. Malekith growled as he stumbled back, leveling a hard glare at the Asgardian before him. He charged, and though Thor braced himself, the force knocked him over and they rolled in the black dirt for a few moments. When Thor finally landed on his back, he snarled and threw Malekith off with a simple kick. The Dark Elf landed with a grunt.

"Then you will only be damning yourself," Thor growled.

"I do not see how," he replied simply, wiping at the blood on his nose.

"You will be inducing my wrath," he said.

"I think I can handle that," Malekith sneered. Before Thor could speak again, Malekith reared back and caught him full in the jaw with his fist. And then for good measure, he bashed his head against Thor's hard enough to daze. Malekith chuckled as he strode back to his ship. Thor glanced up blearily to see the Elf grasp Jane's hand and lead her aboard.

"NO!" he shouted, calling out for Mjolnir. But the ship was already leaving when the hammer hit his hand. Enraged, he threw it at the ship blindly. It missed, flying across the land aimlessly instead. By now, the ship had left Svartalfheim and was disappearing into the cosmos. Thor lashed out in anger, Mjolnir returning to him and he crumbled several large rocks nearby with a single strike to the ground. A hand grasped his shoulder and he struck out blindly, uncaring of who it was.

But it was only Loki and he calmly grasped Thor's wrist, stopping his attack before harm could be done. His face was impassive as he held his brother's arm until he lowered Mjolnir. When the hammer was safely on the ground, he released a breath and gave a weak smile meant more for comfort and apologies than anything.

"What good were you?" Thor growled, slinging the hammer away from him. Loki was taken aback by the comment and turned towards him. Thor noticed a weeping gash upon his brow and a split lip as well.

"What good was I?" he asked calmly. "While you were fighting Malekith, I was stopping your Midgardian from unleashing the Aether and killing you." Silence fell between them as Thor realized just how much of an effect the Aether was having on Jane.

"Was she hurt?" he asked after a moment.

"Brother, I came away looking like this. Do you honestly think I was able to hurt her? A feat like this is quite impressive," Loki replied, motioning towards his face. The silence stretched between them once more as they contemplated what to do with their failed plan. But Thor's shoulders were still tense from the many things that had happened today and Loki could not hold his tongue.

"No, she was not hurt," he said quietly. "I dared not strike her for as much as she could terrify on her own, it was your wrath I feared more."

"Is that so?" Thor asked.

"You have shown me your wrath once before, brother. It is not an experience I wish to repeat right away," he replied. Thor smiled weakly, kicking at the ground mindlessly. "You have the look of a man who would gladly tear apart worlds to bring her back," he said quietly, watching the horizon for a moment before looking to Asgard's Golden Prince. His brother's deep blue eyes were heavy with his grief and worry. They even looked a little bit guilty. "Would that not terrify anyone into avoiding it?"

"I suppose it might," he said with a small shrug.

"And even if your wrath did not terrify me, then surely her strength does," Loki murmured. Thor glanced at him, brows furrowing with the comment.

"Brother, she has grown stronger than you?" he asked.

"If you define 'stronger than me' as being able to knock me on my back with nothing to aid her, then I would say yes," Loki replied. He ran his hands roughly over his face, a tired sigh escaping him.

"She was impassive," Thor said simply after a time. "When you attacked, Loki, she cared not."

"Don't start with that," Loki warned. It was bad enough they both had wounded pride from a battle that had ended too soon; he didn't want to start consoling his brother on the loss of Jane.

"But she was!" Thor insisted. "She was not bothered by my assumed injury and that hurts me more than losing her. I fear for her."

"Well, you haven't lost her yet," Loki replied. "All we have to do is figure out where Malekith's going next. We can beat him there and stop him before he can unleash this darkness."

"Why do you care so much?" he asked, staring at Loki curiously. "Ever since we have taken the throne from you, you have been against everything Father and I have done. And yet, you willingly stood by my side today. I do not understand."

"Because if anybody should rule the universe, brother," Loki said, "it should be me."

* * *

**Sorry for a minimal fight scene here. I wanted to save all the best fighting for the end. So, Thor's plan has been ruined and Loki is still standing by his side... What could those two possibly get up to next?**

**I wonder if destroying a city will be on that list... Anyways, R&R as always to let me know how I've done.  
**

**~LE**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein.**

* * *

Taking Hold

Chapter Four

"Damn you, woman!" Thor griped, twitching away from Sif's hand. Not long after the Dark Elves had left, Hiemdall had found them and opened up the Bifröst per Odin's request. They had yet to see the All-father as Sif and the Warriors Three had greeted them on the Rainbow Bridge. A bit of childlike guilt and embarrassment spread over them all as they tried to avoid Heimdall's eyes, Sif in particular. They had hurriedly left the Bifröst and retreated to the quarters of the Warriors Three whereupon Sif tried to cleanse their wounds. Both had refused but Sif wouldn't let either of them leave until she had tended to at least one of them. And since Loki was steadfast, Thor was the one who got to be treated by Sif. Whatever it was she was using stung like Hel at the cut above his eye.

"You never come away from a battle looking like this," she said with a frown. "You have always returned to Asgard the way you left it. Are the Dark Elves really as strong as this?"

"It is nothing but the attachment for Malekith's helmet. If it can be called that," Thor replied, pushing her hand away as she made to wipe at it again.

"So what do we do now?" Fandral asked, standing by the wall and watching as Sif kept trying to take care of Thor's wounds. It was like watching a mouse trying to avoid a cat. Sif would try and wipe at his forehead and Thor would either lean away or push her hands aside.

"You have done all you can," he replied. "Loki and I must go before the All-father and sort this out. Perhaps he will know where Malekith plans to strike next now that Jane is by his side." He clenched his fist, rising from his seat suddenly to escape Sif. Even on her toes, she could not reach his forehead, causing him to smirk. With a frustrated noise, she glanced over at Loki.

"Don't even think about it," he said from the shadows where he stood. She narrowed her eyes at him, as if contemplating the challenge set before her.

"Why did he wait so long before striking?" Volstagg asked. "I mean, from what I gathered while you were gone, Malekith hasn't been seen since your grandfather supposedly wiped out the Dark Elves. And that was eons ago."

"The Nine Realms are converging," Loki replied.

"What has that got to do with anything?" Fandral asked. Loki rolled his eyes at Asgard's renowned pretty boy. He was brave and optimistic, or so he had heard from Thor, but he wasn't exactly the brightest.

"Temporary portals are opening between the Realms," Thor answered. "It is the only opportunity that Malekith has to darken the universe. And the Aether has realized this for my grandfather ordered it to be sealed away where no one would find it. But somehow, a tiny human was able to find it!" he shouted suddenly.

"Yes, but at least it was Jane Foster," Sif said, just as violently. "The one human you keep tabs on at all times."

"Did you expect me not to?" he shouted back. Fandral and Volstagg quickly stepped away from either of them. Thor and Sif had gotten into a few smaller disagreements in the past – it hadn't ended well for anyone nearby.

"No, but you didn't have to hound my brother day and night just to know whether she was thinking of you too!"

"I could not return to her, Sif, as I had promised. Knowing that she was alright on Midgard is what kept me focused during our battles for peace throughout the Nine Realms. I was not worried about her because Heimdall was so obliging. Did you honestly want Asgard's best and strongest warrior to be distracted on the battlefield?"

"No!" she shouted, childishly throwing her arms out and stomping her foot. "But you could have looked to see what Asgard had to offer first. Before you threw your heart away for a fleeting Midgardian woman!" And just like that, the argument was over. There were tears in Sif's eyes and Thor could not bear to see her hurt.

"Is that what this is all about, Sif?" he asked, lowering his voice so that the others did not hear. "Is this a rage born of jealously because I did not cast my eye upon you?"

"Stop turning this around," she growled, pushing him away from her.

"How have I turned this around?" he demanded, staring after her as she paced away from him. "You are the one who turned it in this direction in the first place." Silence fell upon them for a few moments. The tension was so heavy in the air, they could almost feel it.

"So any idea on where Malekith is going to be?" Fandral asked after a moment, just to break the tension.

"We haven't figured that out yet," Loki said quietly, watching Thor pace the far side of the room. He appeared lost deep in thought now and it seemed as if he hadn't heard what they were saying. Everyone jumped when Thor suddenly gave an enraged growl and slammed his fist against the nearest table. Platters of food went everywhere.

"Thor!" Sif reprimanded. "What is the matter with you?"

"On Earth, Jane was researching the convergence and did not know it," he sighed, staring angrily at the wall. "And now she is gone with Malekith, dying from the Aether flooding through her system. I should have known that something was wrong when we were in the prisons," he growled, clenching his fists and trying not to punch a hole in the wall.

"Why do you say that?" Fandral asked, watching him curiously.

"She was not the same," he said simply. There was silence that told him they did not understand. "She did not want to look at me but her eyes were blue. And she did not act as she once did."

"What does her eyes being blue have to do with anything?" Sif asked, frowning at Thor. "They have always been blue. They were that way when I retrieved her. They were always blue when we passed her in the halls."

"Her eyes are brown!" he snapped, furious that no one had noticed this. They had all met her before and Loki knew her form well enough to use in trickery. "Her eyes are a gentle brown but they were blue! The blue of a Dark Elf, like the ice that now shields her heart!" Still fuming, he glanced around at his friends and his brother. Volstagg and Fandral appeared ashamed at their mistake and Loki seemed impassive. But Sif looked hurt and furious at the same time. She strode toward him with the walk of a warrior and glared him down. He could see that she wanted to slap him but she held her hands by her side.

"Do not blame us for the mistakes you could not find," she said in a low voice that radiated with her fury. It was fury to match his own it seemed. "We have met her but once and you cannot expect us to remember every detail about her. And when we did see her, it was for but a moment. You may be able to look at her and immediately note something of difference about her. Do not expect that of us when we would not expect that of you when meeting our mates."

Loki had to suppress a chuckle from the shadows. Sif always had the ability to make lesser men tremble but her skill seemed to have lost its effect on Thor as they had grown older. He still stood there, fuming at all of them and the luck of the world. Sif glared at him for a second more before stalking away. She briefly paused to grab the damp cloth before making straight for Loki. His eyes narrowed, but he didn't move. When she reached up to tug him down by his coat, her hand went through thin air. Loki smiled as his illusion disappeared in a green shimmer.

"I told you not to think about it," he quipped, voice sounding from behind another pillar. She whipped around, glowering at him but made no move to tend him again. Volstagg and Fandral laughed heartily at Sif's misfortune. But Thor found none of it amusing. Instead, he sighed as he moved to Loki's side and clapped his shoulder.

"Come, brother. We go to speak with Father," he said somberly. Loki tried to hide the gulp he made and glanced around at the Warriors briefly.

"Like a goat being led to slaughter," Loki said, eyebrows raised thoughtfully.

"More like the blind leading the blind," Volstagg said. "We all lay in the balance now. Graces go with you."

"Thor, this is a stupid idea," Loki said as they made their way through Asgard's golden streets.

"Stupid it may be, but we have no choice. We must find where Malekith plans to strike," Thor said, glancing warily around. The few people they passed either refused to look at them or openly stared.

"It seems word has spread of our adventure," Loki noted when he saw someone staring at Thor instead of him.

"Let them gawk," Thor quipped. "Soon, they will realize that we have done the right thing." By now, they had reached Odin's throne room and Thor burst through the doors. There was a small audience before the King but he didn't need to speak. Odin glanced up when the doors hit the walls, the sound echoing loudly through the cavernous hall. Without a word, he ushered the court empty. When the last person had left the hall, sneering at the princes as they went, Thor approached his father.

"You have set a horrible example for my people, Thor," Odin said, sighing as he sat more comfortably in his damaged chair. "I assume you had some very good reasons. You were always the well-behaved one and this seems more like a scheme of your brother."

"Hello to you too, Father," Loki said from behind Thor, sneering the last word. Odin glared at his adopted son before looking to Thor for an explanation.

"I am sorry for my misdeeds, Father," he said. "But I had the good of Asgard in mind when I did it. Now, I just wish I hadn't."

"Yes, I heard about the Midgardian's plight when Heimdall located you. Now you understand why she was placed in the prisons? I had seen the Aether beginning to turn her when she attacked the guards," Odin said in a reprimanding tone.

"But if she had not left, then surely Malekith would have attacked Asgard again. And we would still be in this position: Malekith would have Jane and the Aether. The only difference would have been our decimated armies," he replied. "But I am trying to fix this."

"Is that so?" Odin asked in disbelief. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"We hope to find where Malekith plans to strike and beat him there. And then we will stop him." Odin made to speak but Loki beat him to it.

"We've been stupid, brother," he said suddenly, stepping beside Thor. "We've been wondering where Malekith will strike. He plans on unleashing darkness across the universe, yes?"

"That is his goal," Thor replied, brows furrowed as he tried to follow Loki's train of thought.

"Then where is the easiest spot to hit all of the Nine Realms at once?" he asked, hoping his dense-headed brother would understand. But Thor only frowned at him. Odin sighed in frustration, understanding what Loki was getting at.

"He will strike at the heart of the convergence," Odin said shortly. "Midgard is in the center this time instead of Svartalfheim. But I know not exactly where." Thor looked up brightly.

"Selvig!" he declared with a bright smile on his face.

"What about that bumbling oaf?" Loki asked. Thor glowered at his brother, resisting the urge to thump him in the head.

"Selvig is a bright man and he has helped Jane with her research in the past. Perhaps he was helping her when she was looking at the convergence!"

"Ah," Loki said. "I do not think he will be pleased to see me." His tone was a mix of boredom and reluctance.

"Father, do we have your leave to go to Midgard?" Thor asked, looking at him on the throne.

"Go and stop Malekith. Kill him as my father failed to. But best hurry, the height of the convergence will be upon us in mere hours," Odin said, ushering them out of the hall. Just as his sons reached the doors, he spoke once more. "Know that your actions from earlier have consequences, Thor. And that I have not brushed them under the rug." Thor nodded once before leaving the room.

"We're stopping at the weapon's vault first," Loki demanded.

"Whatever for?" Thor asked, allowing Loki to lead the way towards the other side of the city.

"I require my scepter if we are to fight Malekith again. I'm afraid my dagger did me little good on Svartalfheim."

Much to their surprise and relief, Heimdall said nothing when they approached Asgard's Gatekeeper, only asked where they were going.

"We must speak with Erik Selvig on Midgard," Thor replied.

"You look for the heart of the convergence," Heimdall said. It wasn't a question because he knew.

"Yes, we know it is on Midgard but we are hoping Selvig may assist us in pinpointing it," Loki said regardless.

"Then you will surely have an adventure on Midgard," Heimdall said, chuckling softly. "Erik Selvig has been placed in what the humans call a 'mental hospital'."

"His brain is a – how did Doctor Banner put it – a bag of cats?" Loki asked, glaring at Thor. He smiled weakly and shrugged apologetically.

"Those were his words, not mine. And in any case, I defended you, brother," he replied. "Heimdall, what can you see of Jane?" At this, the Guardian frowned, his golden eyes disappearing beneath his furrowed brows.

"I have not been able to see her since you left for Svartalfheim," he said reluctantly. "Wherever the Dark Elves have gone, it is beyond my vision." Thor looked down, refusing to let either of them see the heartbreak he knew would be on his face. He nodded glumly and motioned for Loki. Without another word, Heimdall opened the Bifröst for Midgard.

"I hate coming back to this place if I cannot rule it," Loki grumbled when the Bifröst dropped them off in the middle of London. He watched the people with a look of disdain and his lips curled ever so slightly.

"Then I suppose you will just have to deal," Thor replied, glancing around. They appeared to be in a quieter section of town as there were fewer people milling about. He noticed that one of the buildings had a sign with the words 'Mental Hospital' written on them. "I believe Erik will be in there," he told Loki, pointing to the building in question. He indicated that Thor should lead the way. As they neared, he noticed Erik and Jane's lady friend Darcy exiting the building and he smiled brightly. This was going easier than he thought.

"Hey, Thunder Pants!" Darcy called, running over to him but then she stopped and looked around in search of something. "Where's Jane?" she asked, staring accusingly at the pair before her. Thor sheepishly scratched at the back of his head, grimacing. This was the woman who had given him a taste of his own power when he had first come to Earth. It was a 'Taser', he believed it was called. He did not want to face her ire again.

"Thor, if you don't tell me where Jane is at, I will have the intern get the Taser from my purse," she threatened.

"My name is Ian," the intern interjected. So it appeared that Thor was damned if he did and damned if he didn't, he realized with a grimace. Loki smirked at his brother's plight.

"What in the Nine Realms did you do to this one?" he asked.

"I startled her," Thor replied slowly. He didn't have to say anymore for Darcy supplied the rest.

"When he dropped out of the sky in New Mexico, he scared me so bad that I hit him with my van," she said. "But then, Thunder Pants here decided to hop up and start hollering about something that we couldn't understand. I thought he was a drunk mad man so I Tased him," she said defensively, crossing her arms. Loki caught the approving glance she gave him. He glanced down at his clothes, trying to understand her motion but found nothing. She grinned when she saw the confusion on his face.

"Is that so?" Loki asked with a dangerous grin on his face, deciding to ignore Darcy's expressions. "Tell me, where can I find one of these Tasers?"

"Not now, Loki," Thor reprimanded. "We have more important issues right now."

"Yeah, and the first one is telling me where Jane is at," Darcy snapped.

"She has been affected by the Aether and has joined a Dark Elf by the name of Malekith," he explained. "He plans on using the Aether to cover the Nine Realms in darkness." Darcy's face dropped as she realized that Jane was in danger.

"What do you need us to do?" she asked softly, all wrath having fled from her voice.

* * *

**Please do not kill me if I do not do Darcy justice. I tried...  
**

**Anyways, I just couldn't resist turning Sif motherly for a moment and having Thor and Loki scoff at her attempts to care for them. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So, R&R and please let me know how I've done**

**~LE  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein.**

* * *

Taking Hold

Chapter Five

Once they reached the London apartment where they were staying, Darcy and Erik immediately dug out their research. Loki trailed cautiously behind Thor but Selvig had yet to really take notice of him. Thor paused to carefully hang Mjolnir from a peg by the door and watched it for a few seconds, waiting to see if the peg was going to hold. He smirked at Loki before stepping away to join Darcy. Just as he moved, the peg gave away, sending Mjolnir crashing to the ground. Loki shook his head, trying not to show his amusement as all heads whipped his way. He hastily put his hands in the air, a look of innocence about him.

"I swear it wasn't me," he said.

"Of course not," Thor replied, straightening out his mess. "I should have known better than to think something this simple could withstand the weight of Mjolnir."

"Hey, Thunder Pants, get over here," Darcy called, waving her arm without looking. "So this is what Jane and I had collected before you whisked her away," she said, pointing to a paper of roughly written numbers and scientific sketches.

"I do not understand," he said, trying to make sense of her data. Darcy rolled her eyes, pulling out a map with a bunch of circles drawn on it in red.

"These are the abnormalities that we've either come across ourselves or heard about from S.H.I.E.L.D. At first, they appeared randomly," she said, pointing to a few that were nowhere near each other. "Then they began appearing more frequently around Great Britain. So, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent us here to investigate. Some pretty freaky stuff is happening."

"Did she tell you about the cars in that one building?" Darcy's intern, Ian, asked.

"Yes, he knows about the weird stuff," Darcy interrupted harshly.

"They are a result of the portals between realms. A few of the realms have less, uh, gravity than yours does," Thor said, pausing to search for the right word. "There is nothing to be worried about."

"Anyways," Erik said, stepping to the other side of the table. "You're looking for the center of your convergence. Now, I don't have the faintest idea what that is. But if it's got anything to do with these portals, this is where they are occurring the most," he said, pointing to a spot on the map laden with red circles. It was labeled London but was too great of an area to be of any help.

"I'm afraid we shall have to be more specific," Thor said, grimacing. "These portals are all over London."

"The last convergence was five thousand years ago," Loki said, drawing attention to the corner where he was attempting to hide. Erik's face brightened as a thought suddenly came to him.

"Of course, the ancient peoples would have taken advantage of the gravitational changes," he said, slapping a ruler down on the map and connecting a number of dots. "Stonehenge, the pyramids," he murmured before standing back and looking at what they pointed to.

"Greenwich," Thor said thoughtfully, peering over Erik's shoulder. "Tis not far from here."

"But can we make it there in time?" Loki asked pointedly. Thor glanced to his brother, still wondering why he cared so much and was surprised to find that he was fretting.

"Brother, are you alright?" he asked, noting how Loki's eyes snapped to him when he spoke. He was also fiddling with the fine-stitched hem of his coat. Realizing how he must look, Loki cleared his throat and instantly appeared composed once more.

"Quite fine," he replied. "I think it might just be the thrill of battle in the air."

"There is no thrill this time, Loki," Thor reprimanded. "Not when it is Jane Foster we must fight." A nervous expression flitted across Loki's face before it disappeared once more. And Thor understood why his brother was uncomfortable. He reached over and clapped one hand on his shoulder, fingers curling around the back of his neck naturally. It had always been their way of showing their support and care for the other. "It is my hope that Jane will be innocent of this fight as Malekith might be too busy manipulating the Aether instead."

"Let us hope you are right this time," Loki replied. They glanced at the clock and Thor sighed, letting his hand drop to his side.

"If we have any hope of reaching Greenwich before Malekith, we best be on our way. The convergence will be upon us shortly," he said, reaching for Darcy's hand. He gave it a quick kiss before thumping Erik on the arm. "Thank you for your help, friends."

"Uh, where do you think you're going?" Darcy demanded, rushing ahead of him and blocking the doorway.

"To save our friend Jane?" he replied uncertainly as he glanced between Darcy and the door.

"Friend?" she questioned. "Last I knew, you were both head over heels for each other and you guys were lovers."

"Darcy, please," Thor begged. "We are not 'lovers'," he said but he knew it was a useless lie. Even his friends on Asgard, the ones who barely knew her and one who probably hated her, now referred to her as his mate.

"Don't hold yourself false, brother," Loki said, raising one eyebrow in challenge.

"It is not false," he nearly growled at Loki. "I would never dishonor Jane. I plan to court her properly."

"Well, whatever you call it on your planet, here we call it lovers," Darcy said simply, patting his chest. "We were all thinking it, just needed confirmation."

"Are we done now?" Thor relented in a tightly controlled voice. Darcy smirked and nodded, opening the door and skipping outside. After a second, when no one made to follow, she poked her head back through.

"Come on, guys. He's not doing this alone," she said with an obvious tone.

"Right," Erik said, grabbing up some equipment. He paused when he passed Loki and leveled a hard glare at him. Loki stared impassively back before Erik made his way to the door.

"Hey, Thor," Darcy said, noticing the distracted look on his face. "I was, and still am, worried about her. What I just said, it was just to make sure that you're not going to hurt her like her ex did."

"Darcy, I would never," he said, respect showing on his face. He was going to say more but Darcy cut him off.

"Save it for later, we've got a damsel to save."

"Behold your Midgard, Jarnsaxa," Malekith said, sweeping his hand before him. They stood at the controls of the ship, barely being jostled as it tore into the bay of Greenwich. With an eager expression, Jane moved to the window, watching as the Londoners scattered before them. "And since Svartalfheim has been destroyed, we shall rule the darkened Realms from here."

"It will be glorious," Jane said. "Not much longer now, yes?" she asked, turning to face Malekith.

"Just a few minutes," he replied. Behind him, Algrim, or Kurse as he called himself now, appeared silently with a pile of folded garments in his hands. He handed them to Jane and returned to the controls.

"What are these?" Jane asked, quickly looking through the dark items.

"Armor," Malekith replied shortly. "Your Asgardian outfit will do you no good here. Especially if we run into problems with the Asgardians." Jane nodded and slipped out of the room to change. As she was fastening on her bracers, there was the sound of shattering glass and a resounding thunk not far away from her. As she rushed back into the control room, she nearly tripped. A quick glance down told her that it was Mjolnir that had tripped her up. With an enraged snarl she gave it a kick, only for the force to reverberate back up her leg. But it appeared that she had kicked it with enough force as it moved beneath her. Her startled joy was crushed a moment later when the hammer arced up and back towards the front of the ship. She followed it's path until it landed in Thor's hand once more. His face was impassive when he saw her but he could not hide the flicker of emotion across his eyes.

Thor's heart stopped when he saw Jane sprawled in the doorway. She was no longer dressed in the flowing blue silk his mother had given her. Instead, they had given her a set of their very own armor. The black and gold metal stood out against her skin, which was no longer pale. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Malekith's skin had turned as black as night and Jane's seemed on a similar course. Her hair had even lightened and when she stood to her feet, brushing her hair back from her face, he could see that the tips of her ears had turned to sharp points. She was, in every sense of the word, a Dark Elf now.

Jane chuckled, using the Aether to strike Thor in the chest and send him flying from the ship.

"Well done," Malekith said from beside her. "This seems quite natural to you."

Thor landed in the courtyard with a grunt, Mjolnir slipping from his hand and skidding a few feet away. Loki rushed towards him, trying to help him up but Thor pushed him away with a snarl, the fury plain on his face as he called Mjolnir back.

"If you engage in battle, you leave Malekith's death to me," Thor said, adjusting his grip on the hammer.

"Why must you always ruin the fun?" Loki grumbled. Thor turned and snarled in Loki's face, daring him to question it again. "Yeesh, brother, you need not get so frustrated. Would not Malekith's death, by any man's hand, be acceptable?" he asked.

"You have not seen what they have done to Jane," he quipped. "Malekith's death will come by my hand and my hand alone."

"So, how are we doing this?" Loki asked, twirling the scepter in his hands. He denied it vehemently for Thor's sake, but he was eager for a battle. It had been too long since he'd had a proper battle – even longer since he'd had a battle where he had come out the victor. He twirled his scepter one more time, noticing movement from the bottom of the ship.

"Well, should he show his face," Thor said, turning to Loki and waving the hammer around. Before Thor could continue, a stream of black energy lashed out, striking them both across the chest. The force knocked them on their asses, breath leaving them in a 'woosh'.

"I believe that would be your girlfriend," Loki said, gripping his scepter and pushing himself to his feet.

"Tell me something that I don't know," Thor grumbled, jumping to his feet as well. He appeared torn for a moment, beginning to swing Mjolnir in a very wide arc. His battle instincts told him to just retaliate but more than likely, it would be Jane on the other side.

Loki rushed in without waiting for Thor. He could see now that all of the Dark Elves has disembarked, with Malekith and Jane at the forefront. With his scepter raised, he made to strike at Malekith. But Jane took a quick step forward and blocked him, stopping Loki with a punch to the jaw. And that settled it for Thor. If Jane was strong enough to stop Loki with a simple punch, than she would be strong enough to withstand Mjolnir. At least, he hoped.

Thor swung the hammer faster, letting go at the last second and watching it sail through the air. It caught Jane full in the stomach, carrying her back to the ship. He winced automatically as he called the hammer back. If Jane remembered any of this, then he would be in deep trouble.

"You just won't give up, will you?" Malekith called from behind Thor. He spun around wildly, striking out with the hammer and finding only empty air. "When will you accept the truth that your Jane Foster is no more?" he called. "There is only Jarnsaxa." Thor whipped around, finding Malekith before him and charged angrily. Although he braced himself, Malekith was ill-prepared for Thor's raw strength.

They fell back through a portal and when Thor glanced up, he saw that they had gone back to Svartalfheim. The dusty black dirt swirled around them, obscuring their vision.

"The battle you fight is pointless," Malekith called, striding away.

"Is that right?" Thor called back, knocking Malekith off his feet with a quick throw of the hammer. "Because the way I see it, you will never win in your conquest of the Nine Realms." When Malekith failed to rise, he let out a derisive snort and turned away. Before he realized it, he had been knocked off his feet and was pushed through another portal back to Midgard. He glanced up to see Malekith striding through the portal, head held high. He made to kick Thor across the ground and Asgard's prince braced himself as soon as he saw the action start.

But nothing happened. Curious, he looked back up and saw Loki standing over him with a slightly protective demeanor. Before he could speak, Loki rushed forward and bashed Malekith against the head with the butt of his weapon. He paused long enough to watch the Dark Elf hit the ground. Without another word, he stalked back towards Thor and offered a hand to help him up. Bewildered, Thor accepted the hand.

"Brother, I…." Thor said. He was unable to say more, however, as Loki cut him off. He raised the blade of his scepter automatically, putting the point of it right in Thor's face.

"No," he said simply but his voice was firm. He was silent for a moment, seeming to struggle with words. The scepter waivered dangerously in his hand and Thor watched it nervously. "I don't want to hear it. Just go save your girlfriend."

The wisest choice for Thor would have been to go see to Jane, whether she fought him or not. It would have been wise for him to leave Loki alone, but he could not. He clapped a hand on Loki's shoulder, his fingers naturally curling around the back of his neck and spoke his peace.

"Thank you, brother. Though I know not why you continue to help and defend me as you do," he said. Loki visibly hardened. With no warning whatsoever, Loki twirled, landing the handle of his scepter hard against the back of Thor's head. The resulting crack resounded through the empty Greenwich courtyard. Thor dropped to his knees, cradling his head from the throbbing.

Calmly, Loki bent down and watched his brother quickly fight off the pain. His eyes were ice blue crystals when he looked back up.

"I did warn you," Loki said.

"I'll not fight you, brother," Thor growled, slowly standing to his feet, "but what you just did was uncalled for."

"Good, now that we've got that settled, let's finish this," he replied, rising from the ground. "Only this time, I'm tired of getting beat to Hel by your Midgardian. You can go have some fun with her." Loki smirked but Thor only glowered at him.

"You leave Malekith's death to me," Thor reminded, striding away and calling back Mjolnir as he went. Loki rolled his eyes but made his way back towards where Malekith had landed.

Thor closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come. When he opened them, he found that Jane was already unleashing the Aether. It hadn't gotten very far, but given enough time, he would have a much harder time stopping her.

"Jane!" he called, shielding his eyes against the dark energy flying about. She looked down at him sharply, eyes flickering between icy blue and black. Her now light brown hair was caught in the air and whipped about her face. She was radiating with the power of the Aether, and if it weren't quite so terrifying, Thor might just consider his empowered Jane to be even more beautiful.

"You're too late," she called back, looking back up as the Aether climbed towards the opening portals in the sky.

"No, I'm not, Jane," he pleaded. "You can still stop this, you can still change the Aether's course." If they could keep Jane and Malekith busy for just a few more minutes, the convergence would pass over them. Around him, he noticed that Darcy was having fun with the devices they had brought. Whenever the Elves came too close to one, it would open up a portal and send them elsewhere. There seemed to be even less of them than when the fighting started.

"The Aether is a more powerful force that you can imagine, Odin Son," she snapped, glaring back down at him. "It has decided what it wants. Nothing can change that now."

"Then you leave me no choice," he murmured, letting the hammer slip lower in his hand. He swung Mjolnir furiously, realizing that what he did was for the greater good – no matter how much it would hurt him in the process. "Forgive me, Jane," he said, slinging the hammer at her. But a spilt second before Mjolnir struck, the Aether retaliated by forming an impenetrable shield around her. Mjolnir hit the Aether instead, following the path upwards and through a portal to what looked like Jotunheim.

Thor mentally cursed his luck, then cursed out loud when Jane glared down at him. The Aether struck Thor once in the chest, hard enough to wind him, before striking him in the back and knocking him to the ground. He pushed himself to his knees, staring coldly at this person who was no longer his Jane.

"Hmm, you would make a fine ruler of these realms by my side," Jane said thoughtfully, stepping closer to him. She reached out and slowly ran her fingers over a lock of hair that had fallen loose from the strip of leather that held it back. He cringed away from her, knowing that it was not the woman he wanted to be touching him.

"Do not touch me again," he snarled in a low voice. But he dared not move as this might be his only real chance to talk Jane down.

"What's the matter, Thor?" she asked, a slight purr to her voice. "I thought you loved me," she crooned, crouching down and trailing a finger down the armor on his chest. He noticed – painfully – that her eyes were seductively dark.

"I love a gentle Midgardian," he said, venom in his voice as he roughly shoved her away from him. "I do not proclaim to love a Dark Elf that is threatening to overrun this universe!"

"I am trying to save this universe!" she shouted back, quickly getting back to her feet. "This universe is corrupt and it needs to be changed! The Aether can fix everything." Thor glanced behind her and noticed that the Aether was slowly dropping out of the sky. It appeared that her full attention was required and he had her focus instead. He grinned as a stupid plan formed in his mind.

"What if you were to convince me that it was you who held my love instead?" he asked simply, hands out to his side.

* * *

**So Thor is acting like a lovesick guy...  
**

**R&R because I'm really curious to know how I've done this time round**

**~LE**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Thor or anything contained therein.**

* * *

Taking Hold

Chapter Six

Loki dropped out of a portal from Jotunheim just in time to hear his brother's stupid proclamation.

"Are you mad, brother?" he asked, rushing to Thor's side and staring at him. His eyes were clear, focused and there was a determined crease on his brow.

"Go away, Loki," he growled in an aside. "You know not what you do."

"Brother, I am trying to keep you from making a huge mistake here. I thought the goal was to stop them," Loki urged.

"I will say it one more time: go away," Thor demanded, turning to face him briefly. Malekith strode up next to Jane, lightly throwing one arm over her shoulder and watching curiously as Thor and Loki spoke.

"What say we finish this, Jarnsaxa? The convergence is drawing towards its peak and we must hurry," he asked suddenly, catching the attention of the two Asgardians. "Which would you like to finish off, my dear?" he asked, sweeping one hand over the two as though they were prize pieces of meat. And Jane looked at them just as hungrily as if they were.

"I'll take the one that proclaims to love me," she said. "I think that fight will be much more fun." Her glee was evident on her face and Thor did not relish it.

"Then be quick with it," he snarled, shoving her away from him. "The Aether must reach the realms while the portals are still open!"

"Touch her again," Thor snarled, brandishing Mjolnir, "and it will be the last thing you do." Malekith's eyes narrowed as he stared down at Thor.

"Is that a threat, Asgardian?" he asked in amusement.

"No," Thor said simply, his gaze turning cold. Malekith raised an eyebrow, waiting for more but there was nothing. Then Loki cleared his throat weakly.

"That's a promise, Malekith," he offered, understanding the tone his brother had used. The slight smirk that Thor made only confirmed it.

"You think yourself so tough," Malekith chuckled, shaking his head slightly. He made to say more but the full force of Mjolnir caught him in the stomach. Even though he was out of eyesight, Thor couldn't help but respond.

"I am too so tough," he countered, turning to find Jane sitting on the ground and rubbing at her forehead. She had a look of pain about her that caused Thor to rush to her side. He instinctively went to grab her but remembered the Aether at the last moment.

"Jane?" he called gently, struggling to keep his hands away. He grimaced, clenching his fists and pushing them to the ground. "Jane?" he called a bit more urgently when she failed to respond. After yet another silence, he reached out and tipped her chin up. He found himself being even more gentle than normal with her. When nothing happened, he tipped her chin a little more, noticing a bit of blood dripping from her nose. His stomach dropped – how much longer did she have?

"Jane, please," he asked quietly, trying his damnedest to stop the quiver in his voice. Her eyes fluttered open, shifting from dark brown to ice blue before him. He felt a mixture of relief and disappoint flood him. Jane glanced around, took notice of how close Thor was to her and half shoved him and half scooted away.

"You're dying," Loki said nonchalantly as he leaned on his scepter. Jane glanced up at him coldly, wiping at the blood on her nose. "And you need our help."

"I don't need anyone's help," she spat. "Not yours, and certainly not Malekith's."

"Is everything alright, Jane?" Thor asked, watching her intently.

"It would be _fine_," she said, stressing the word, "if people would let me finish what I started."

"Sadly, we've given our word that this wouldn't happen," Loki interjected, motioning to the rapidly falling Aether. "So, I'm afraid that we can't let you finish this."

"How are you going to stop me?" she questioned, staring at both of them. "Neither one of you would dare hit a woman." Loki pulled a thoughtful look, turning to Thor as he debated.

"Tell me, brother, are you sensing a challenge?" he asked. Thor couldn't help but chuckle. He motioned with his hand to call Mjolnir back.

"Try to be careful, Loki," he urged. "The woman I love is still in there." Loki smiled as if he had come up with the best trick of all time. He snapped his fingers subtly and tried to contain his amusement as Thor and Jane took in the situation before them.

"What have you done?" Jane demanded, pausing when her voice dropped an octave.

"Technically," he said in a higher voice, "I won't be hitting a woman now." Thor chuckled, though it sounded more like a giggle in a woman's voice. And that gave him his own pause. A quick glance down told him that Loki had swapped all of their genders.

"If this ruins my fight with Malekith, I will kill you, brother," he threatened.

"I do believe that it's sister now," he corrected. "And I don't believe it will. In fact, I believe you'll have what the Midgardians call a 'catfight'. Do try to have fun." Thor looked thoughtful for a second, trying to figure out where he had heard that word before. It must have been something that Tony Stark had said. He shook his head, stalking off to find Malekith.

Thor stormed through the rubble they had created, eyes on the lookout for Malekith. He was going to end this, and now. Just as he climbed over a slab of concrete, he was bull rushed and thrown against the nearest building.

"What did you do to me?" a feminine voice screamed as the wall fell apart around him. Thor pushed himself off the wall, shaking his head before landing eyes on a woman in Dark Elf armor. She looked furious, with platinum hair flowing around her as it fell loose from her braid.

"Ah, so that's what he meant by catfight," Thor murmured, the pieces connecting in his mind. "I did nothing," he told Malekith. "This was all Loki's doing."

"You will pay for this, Asgardian," Malekith swore. "You and your family." He made to walk away but stopped for a moment. Without warning, he turned and clocked Thor in the jaw. Thor stumbled back a bit, slightly dazed.

"So, that is the way it will be, huh?" he asked, adjusting his grip on Mjolnir.

"Is there a problem with that?" Malekith snapped, swinging at Thor once more. This time, he blocked the hit with Mjolnir and caught Malekith on the back swing. The Dark Elf flew across the courtyard and hit another building, crumbling the wall around him. With a determined stride, Thor followed after him. He wasted no time in bringing the hammer down once he reached Malekith. But a portal happened to open right underneath them, saving him at the last moment.

"Damn," Loki cursed, having paused for a moment to watch his "sister".

"This is not a game!" Jane shouted, striking him in the chest. His ill-planned gender swap meant he now felt everything as a woman did.

"Curse you, woman!" Loki snapped, protecting his chest though it stung painfully. He wouldn't be surprised if he felt a phantom soreness tomorrow. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Jane took pause and a bit of worry flickered across her eyes. With a small smirk, he reached out and backhanded her. He felt a bit of shame, knowing that technically he had just struck down a woman with the worst kind of blow imaginable. But he quickly reasoned that it could be no worse than the low blow she had introduced him to on Svartalfheim. He winced internally when he remembered that.

Loki was taken by surprise when he felt his feet get pulled out from underneath him. He was even more surprised when his head cracked against a chunk of damaged wall. He grimaced, gingerly touching at the back of his head as he rolled out of the rubble.

"When did this turn into a dirty fight?" he asked, wincing.

"When someone decided to use their magic," Jane snapped, kicking his arms out from underneath him.

"For Odin's sake, woman!" he cried, pushing himself up one more time.

"What's the matter?" she jeered. "Can't take a beating now that you're a woman?"

"Yes, that's exactly it," he snapped sarcastically.

"Strange, because I heard you took quite the beating in New York," she said, digging her boot into his side and rolling him across the ground. He landed on his back and grimaced up at the portal-ridden sky. But Jane wasn't finished yet. She stormed closer and made to stomp on his chest.

But Loki lifted his hands quickly and stopped her with his scepter over his chest. He smirked up at her as he gave a shove and threw her off balance. Before she could recover, Loki jumped to his feet and settled into a fighting crouch. Jane leaped up and mirrored him, right down to the self-important smirk on his face.

They were startled out of their fight by a pair of yells ripping through the air. Both glanced around and saw Thor and Malekith falling from a portal higher up. Thor had his hand outstretched, reaching for an absent Mjolnir while Malekith struggled to find a way to stop his descent. But they fell through yet another portal a few feet off the ground. Moments later, Mjolnir flew past them in a steel-gray blur before arcing up into a portal. Jane and Loki glanced at each other briefly before the other two tumbled out of a portal nearby. They rolled on the slope for a moment before coming to a stop in a pile of busted concrete.

Mjolnir was back in Thor's hand as he stood to his feet, wobbling a bit from the rollercoaster he had just endured. There was an air of determination and regret around him as he raised the hammer for a final blow. But before he could deliver, Malekith kicked out and sent Thor flying across the courtyard and straight into Loki and Jane. Loki was so surprised that his magic faltered, setting them all back to rights.

"Say goodbye to your precious Midgard," Malekith taunted, watching the three struggle to rise.

"I grow tired of this fight, brother," Loki snapped.

"Aye, I couldn't agree more," Thor said, glaring at Malekith as he pushed away from Loki and Jane.

"You have proven yourself to be of no match for me, Asgardian," Malekith said with a bored voice, making his way back to his ship. As soon as he stepped into the cloud of Aether, it immediately began its climb again. Thor threw the hammer, hoping to distract Malekith for a few more minutes at the very least. It hit him in the shoulder, causing him to twist with the blow. Though Thor was a good distance away, he could still make out the distinctive snap of bone. An idea formed in his head and he smirked. Cruel though it may be, it would be no less than what this pile of filth deserved for his deeds.

As soon as Mjolnir hit his hand, Thor threw it again with almost scary-accurate precision. This time, it hit Malekith's other shoulder, followed by another snap. Though his shoulders were beyond injured, the Dark Elf still managed to make the Aether strike at Thor. It hit him across the chest but failed to knock him down this time. The dark energy soared into the air, reaching for the portals. The blast of energy made it harder for Thor to move but he was even more determined now. When he reached Malekith, he glared down at him before catching him with a backhand blow of the hammer. Malekith sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up.

"You should have listened when I told you that you would never win," Thor said, watching Malekith try to edge away from him. Thor had the look of a man scorned and it was enough to terrify.

"I haven't lost just yet," Malekith replied with a grunt as he edged over a large rock. But he wasn't far enough away and still terribly in the line of fire. Thor let the hammer slip until he was only holding onto the strap. "I still have Jarnsaxa," he said with a cruel smile. Thor paused, a cold look coming over his eyes.

"Tell me how to save her," he demanded in a low voice.

"There is nothing that can be done for her now," he laughed. "She is, and always will be, one of my kind."

"You lie!" Thor shouted, dropping the hammer and hauling Malekith off the ground. With one swift motion, he slammed him against the side of the ship, one hand at his throat. Malekith grunted, hanging limply in Thor's grip. "You tell me how to save her, you tell me how to remove the Aether from her body!"

"Are all Asgardians this dense?" he replied between sudden laughs. "The Aether is already out and about, all it requires is a firm mind."

"But she controls it," Thor maintained.

"Which means nothing," Malekith snapped. "Even one as thick-skulled as you could control the Aether if you tried."

"So there is hope still," he surmised, face brightening. Malekith made a disgusted face, scowling as Thor threw him back to the ground. "Do not think that this spares you," he declared, reaching for Mjolnir.

"And what are you going to do to me now, Asgardian?" Malekith asked, sneering the last word as he crawled painfully across the ground.

"What my grandfather should have done eons ago," he said in a low voice, staring at the hammer in his hands. "And nothing more than you deserve." Malekith's eyes narrowed, hiding his terror, when he realized what Thor meant to do.

"You don't have the guts to do it," he declared. There was a few moments silence while Thor debated what to do. "I knew you didn't have it in you. And I will still take over this universe."

"Then you have thought wrong," Thor said, allowing the hammer to slip lower in his hand once more.

"There is _nothing_ you can do to stop me. I can't lose, not when I hold all the cards," Malekith said with a grin. "Including one whose name is Jane."

"You've already lost, Malekith, and I will find a way to save Jane," he said simply, letting go of Mjolnir. It fell straight to the ground, hitting with a resounding thunk and shattering of bone. He stood there for another moment, breathing sharply as the Aether fell from the sky once more. When he glanced up, he was glad to see that the remaining Dark Elves were following a "tail-tucked" Kurse back into their ship. With all of the Elves taken care of, the only thing that remained to deal with was Jane.

There was a crunching sound from behind Thor. He noticed a smug look on Loki's face as he tossed an object at the Dark Elf ship. Thor turned to see that it was one of the Elven devices that was swallowing up parts of the ship. He noticed with dismay that it was almost completely gone and what was left was slowly falling back into the water.

"No!" Jane screamed, breaking free of Loki's sudden grip and barreling into Thor. Despite her new strength, he was able to withstand her charge this time which gave him hope. "You've ruined everything!" she shouted, furiously banging her fists against his chest. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or not, but her blows began to feel weaker to him. He heard her breath hitch and knew instinctively that she had begun crying for some unknown reason. Regardless of what might happen, he wrapped his arms protectively around her. She didn't even seem to care, just sobbed into his shoulder.

"I am sorry, Jane, but it is for the best," he whispered, reaching up to stroke her hair.

"How can you say that?" she hissed, struggling out of his arms. "You never even gave it a chance."

"Because my people have battled Malekith before," he replied. "And for a reason."

"This world may be better off without Malekith, but all of them will suffer and die without the darkness," she hissed. She spun, arms wide and directed the Aether until it blasted into Thor. He barely withstood the force, and probably only because he had a death grip on Mjolnir's handle. When the energy subsided, he stood back to his feet.

"Jane, the convergence if over," he urged. "If you fight me, you will leave me no choice."

"But to what? Crush me as you did to Malekith?" she demanded violently. The Aether surged through the air at her anger. A dejected look came to Thor's eyes.

"If it comes to that, my love," he said with resignation. "I hope to the Nine Realms that it doesn't though." Jane snarled, throwing the Aether at him full force. Thought he braced himself, he was unprepared for Jane's actual attack. She leapt through the air with unforeseen grace and managed to kick Thor full in the face.

He shook his head roughly, failing to hide the slight smirk on his face.

"So be it, then," he murmured, adjusting his grip on Mjolnir and swinging at her. It caught her on the hip, sending her through a nearby portal. He made to follow after her but she came barreling back a few minutes later – a noticeable limp about her gait – and with a look of terror on her face. Thor didn't even have to ask why. A Frost Beast of Jotunheim was hot on her heels, snarling as it went. Jane tripped on a loose rock and tumbled to the ground, causing Thor's heart to skip a beat. But the Frost Beast simply jumped over her and ran amok through Greenwich.

Jane looked up a moment later, relief flooding her when she noticed that the Frost Beast was gone. Thor rushed to her side, meaning to help her up. But she simply threw him off, sending him into the nearest pile of rubble.

"This fight no longer amuses me," she said simply, raises her hands and lifting the Aether high in the sky. With a motion of her hands, it barreled straight at Thor. But he managed to weather it once more, even going so far as to charge through it. He landed a solid kick to her chest, knocking her to the ground. He grimaced at the look of pain on her face but knew what he could do to finally end this.

Thor raised Mjolnir to the sky, focusing on the innate power within it. Thunder crackled around them and lightning collided with the hammer. When it could take no more, he redirected it and sent it straight at Jane, a look of sorrow on his face the entire time. It was possibly the largest lightning storm he had ever summoned with Mjolnir. And a part of him thought that it wouldn't be enough for what he needed to do.

Jane arched with the lightning striking her, a scream of pain tearing past her lips. But it was nothing like the noise that echoed around the courtyard. It took all of Thor's restraint to not tear the hammer away and go to Jane's side. One more pain-wracked cry resonated in his ears before the lightning subsided. Jane crumbled to the ground, surrounded by the dusty remnants of the Aether.

Thor's knees hit the ground and he suddenly felt exhausted – slightly relieved, but exhausted nonetheless. He panted for breath, watching as Loki cautiously approached Jane. He looked her over quickly, fingers searching for a beat of lifesblood. Loki sighed, a weight seeming to lift as he glanced at Thor with a small smile. A tension he hadn't realized had been there flitted from his shoulders.

"I ensured her slumber, brother," Loki said when Thor approached. "She must surely be in pain, and she had already begun to stir."

"I must get her to Asgard. There is no telling the damage left from the Aether, or the damage I have caused," Thor said guiltily, looking around at the damaged courtyard. "The convergence is over now, and so is the battle," he said with a small sigh that seemed oddly pleased.

"Go, I will take care of what is left here," Loki said, sighing as he realized the responsibility he had just given himself.

"I trust you, brother," Thor said, hanging Mjolnir from his back and scooping Jane into his arms. After a moment, he called for Heimdall. Lightning and rainbow light surrounded him and Jane as the Bifröst took them home.

Loki watched until the Bifröst disappeared then turned to see the damage they had created. As he surveyed the scene, Darcy and Selvig came running out of a nearby building.

"Where'd they go?" Darcy demanded, glancing around until she noticed the glyph on the ground. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Thor took Jane back to Asgard in the hopes of getting her some help," Loki explained gently. "But I believe that she will be alright," he added. Before he realized what was happening, he was enveloped in a hug, courtesy of Darcy. He stood there, bewildered and trying to figure out what to do, until she released him. She grabbed Ian's hand and walked away with him. Loki and Selvig stood there awkwardly, the latter clearing his throat.

"Yes, well," Loki said, glancing around and trying to figure out what to do first. "Thank you for your help today," he added.

"I could say the same to you," Selvig said. "Would you like some help cleaning everything up?" he offered, purposefully avoiding Loki's gaze. The Asgardian prince actually smiled, twirling his scepter and causing it to shrink before attaching it to the back of his belt.

"It would be very much appreciated," he replied sincerely.

* * *

**We're only starting to wrap things up. I still have plenty of story to go here, dear readers, so stay tuned.**

**~LE**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or Thor**

* * *

Taking Hold

Chapter Seven

Thor sat impatiently in the quarters of the Warriors Three. He had relinquished his own quarters for Jane and the Healers that tended to her. The sun was now high in the sky, though they had returned shortly after everyone had broken their fast. Half the day had passed and he had yet to hear anything from anyone.

As soon as he had found the Healers, they had ushered him away because they felt it might be an invasion of Jane's privacy. Thor had spent a good portion of the morning grumbling over that little fact. They had had no problem when he had first brought Jane to Asgard but now all of a sudden, their own Prince wasn't allowed to be near her.

"Thor, could you be any more destructive?" Sif reprimanded, stopping in shock in the doorway. Much to his dismay, he had overturned quite a few pieces of furniture throughout his morning of brooding.

"Have you word of Jane?" he asked, leaping to his feet with renewed vigor. Sif's face fell and she shook her head. Thor's shoulders drooped and the eager expression on his face fell to be replaced with despair and heartache. With an audible sigh, he dropped back down on the balcony stairs where he had been sitting.

"They fear for her," she replied, moving to sit by his side. The afternoon sun began to filter in behind them, illuminating the destruction of the room. Sif was grateful for a moment that her friend had decided to leave Mjolnir in the weapons vault shortly after his return.

"But they do not know how to help her," he assumed, staring despondently at his boots.

"Not yet, but they are trying everything they can," Sif said quickly. "The Aether has done its damage and it might just be that a miracle is what she needs." Silence fell between the two.

"When may I see her?" he asked quietly after a time.

"Perhaps shortly," she replied. "Last I heard, the Healers were debating about keeping Loki's spell on her. To be honest, they are a bit terrified of what she might do when she wakes."

"Do you know how long she might have?" he asked in a voice so quiet Sif almost missed it. Of course, it didn't help that his hands were folded before him and hiding his face.

"We do not know," Sif replied in equal quiet. Though she did not care for this Midgardian in particular, she did not want her to die. She couldn't handle seeing Thor's heart break, as it was very near to doing.

"Thank you, Sif," he said after a moment's thoughtful quiet. She stood to her feet, grasping his shoulder firmly as she did.

"Shall I send for anyone?" she asked gently. Thor made to speak but quickly stopped himself and shook his head instead. As soon as the door shut, Thor's shoulders dropped for he could be strong no longer. He didn't move, but merely sat and stared at the golden stairs beneath him. Jane Foster was dying and there was nothing he could do. Some liquid hit the floor, turning the dark gold into a bronzish color. Thor quickly wiped at his cheek, surprised to find himself crying.

Honestly, it should have come as no surprise at all. Even his father, the strong and powerful King of Asgard and the All-Father, had been reduced to weeping when Mother had died. Thor despaired but he didn't want to weep. Jane was not gone yet and his friends would never let him forget the day he wept for a Midgardian.

"Tis no shame in crying, son," Odin's voice called from the balcony behind him. Thor scrubbed at his face, trying to hide the tears he couldn't stop.

"Tis wrong to weep for someone who has not left for Valhalla," he retorted.

"Jane shan't be heading for Valhalla today," Odin replied gently, sitting beside his son. "In fact, I don't believe she will be going anywhere anytime soon." Thor looked up at his father in confusion, which was only added to when he realized that he had addressed her properly.

"Father, the Aether has sent her on the path to dying. Tis only a matter of time," he said, voice fading to a whisper. "And I may have only hastened it."

"The Lady Sif was just in here, was she not?" Odin asked pointedly.

"She brought small news of Jane," he replied. "But the hope is faint." Odin nodded thoughtfully.

"The Healers fear for her, yes," the All-Father said, inclining his head. "But only because she sleeps so strongly on her own."

"Loki's magic," Thor replied simply. "He was trying to protect her after I struck at her. He knew that she must surely be in pain though she made to rouse on her own."

"Thor, I saw to her myself and removed Loki's magic. Her sleep is her own," he replied. Thor looked up in bewilderment.

"Then why have I not been able to see her?" he demanded, rising to his feet.

"Because I wanted to speak with you first. And because she needs her rest," he said simply, motioning that Thor should sit back down. When he was seated, Odin continued. "The damage you caused her is moderate, but within the Healers abilities. So you need not fear there." Thor exhaled, shoulders visibly relaxing.

"Is that all you wished to speak of, Father?" he asked after a moment's quiet.

"No, there is more," Odin said. "You once said there would be no wiser King than me. You were wrong. The alignment has brought all the Realms together and every one of them saw you offer your life to save them." Odin paused once more, as if choosing the right words. "So what can Asgard offer it's new King in return?" he asked.

"Jane's life," Thor said after a moment. Her life was so much more important to him then his own. He knew that if she died because of actions to end the battle, he would never forgive himself. Odin was quiet while he thought of what else to say. "Father, I could not be King of Asgard if that is the kind of sacrifice it requires of me. The brutality and the sacrifice, they change you and I'd rather be a good man than a great King," he said quietly, watching stars beginning to twinkles into life on the other side of the balcony.

"Is this my son I hear or the woman he loves?" Odin asked with a gentle note.

"When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice?" Thor quipped and Odin sighed, appearing to chew on his lip thoughtfully.

"There has been no Asgardian to catch your fancy, yes?"

"Tis true. Jane Foster is the only woman who has stolen my heart," Thor replied, staring at his mess from earlier and choosing his next words carefully. "I love her dearly, Father. Her fate has torn me as much as Mother's tore you."

"I see," Odin said with a sigh. He had tried to convince his son before the Dark Elf mess that he should call after Sif. She was a fine warrior and would have been a wonderful Queen. But he knew now that Thor's heart was set and he accepted that. "A king should have a queen by his side whom he loves, for he cannot be expected to rule a kingdom on his own. For who else would temper him and set him to rights? Who else would bring him heirs for a future king?" Thor had heard nearly the same words from Sif not many days ago and they still tore at him.

"Why must you torment me so, Father?" Thor griped, furiously walking away from him. "Jane may have stolen my heart, but she is Midgardian. She cannot rule by my side. You know this as well as I."

"And what if she was no longer Midgardian?" Odin asked plainly. Thor frowned, gaze turning cold.

"Even if she is Elven still, it could not be." The All-Father sighed heavily, realizing he would have to spell it out plainly for his son.

"Thor, you misread my words. I mean to ask what would you do if Jane Foster belonged to the Realm Eternal?" he asked, standing to his feet. Thor stared at him in wonder for a moment. Then a bright smile appeared on his face as he pieced it together.

"Do you mean to offer her the Apples of Idunn?" he asked. Odin's only reply was a knowing smile. "But Father, she is dying still. What effect would the Apples have on her?" he asked suddenly, frowning.

"Tis why I offer them," Odin replied simply. "The Aether's damage is too great for a Midgardian form to bear. Jane's only hope is for our own healing and durability. And while a Midgardian cannot sit the throne with you, an Asgardian may." Silence fell upon them as Odin chose his next words carefully. "You asked for Jane's life and thus I give it to you, with your own. Jane's heart is right, as you tried to tell me before. She will make a fine Queen for our people."

"I have your blessing then?" Thor asked excitedly.

"You have my blessings, son," he said, clapping Thor on the shoulder. "You have proven yourself more than I could have hoped possible."

"What do you mean, Father?"

"Though I may have been here on Asgard, I saw your battle on Earth. You were ready to sacrifice your love if it meant saving the Nine Realms. That's not an easy choice, Thor."

"Father, I was ready to stand beside her if it meant finding a way to save her."

"That is not the way I beheld it. I saw a warrior taking an option he was presented with. Twice," Odin argued. "Your heart is too good, Thor. A life among the Dark Elves would have suited you ill, even if you were by Jane's side. Besides, you still managed to stop Malekith and save the Nine Realms. That much cannot be denied."

"No, I suppose it cannot."

"Go and see to Asgard's future Queen then," Odin said with a smile. Thor practically bounced to the door. He caught himself but couldn't help but give his father a strong hug.

"Thank you, Father," he said. "This means much to me." On hurried feet, Thor made his way to his own chambers at last. When he slowly opened the door, he was vaguely surprised to see that Jane was tucked into bed and sleeping soundly. He smiled softly as he sat gingerly on the edge of the bed and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. He was glad to see that she looked like her mortal self once more. Her skin and hair had returned to their normal color. She stirred slightly under his touch and blinked sleepily up at him.

"Hello," he said, smiling brightly when he saw that her eyes were brown once more.

"Hi," she said, voice still thick with sleep. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked, moving to sit up. Thor reached out to stop her but she quickly found the pain in her muscles and flopped back into the soft pillows.

"A good portion of the day," he replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by Tony Stark in his stupid metal suit," she groaned, rubbing at her forehead. Thor chuckled, trying to keep his hands in his lap. The Aether was destroyed but he still wasn't sure how she felt about his touch. "What happened?" she asked, looking up at Thor with confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"I vaguely remember being in jail here. The rest is just a blur. Thor, what happened?" she pressed.

"A lot, Jane," he said, reaching out to stroke the side of her face. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. "But you are safe now, and that is all that matters."

"So, you managed to stop Malekith and the Aether?" she asked, looking back up at him. His mouth twisted as he thought of what to say.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," he finally said. After a time of peaceful silence, he looked out his balcony window with a sigh.

"What's the matter?" Jane asked, frowning a bit.

"Night draws upon us and you need your rest," he said, rising to his feet. His talk with Father must have been longer than he realized. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, fingers lingering upon her hair.

"You're not gonna stay?" she asked in a hurtful voice.

"Tis my chambers, but it would be improper to lay beside you," he argued.

"Improper for the prince to do as he pleases?" Jane scoffed lightly, a light in her eyes that begged him to stay.

"Jane, nothing would please me more than to stay but there is a reputation that my people need to see of their future King," he said, giving her a sad smile. Jane sighed heavily, dropping back into the pillows and staring at her hands. Thor covered her tiny hands with one of his own, effectively stopping her fidgeting. "You are not pleased with me," he observed.

"I understand, I really do," she said, trying to fight her sudden girlish emotions.

"But…" he prompted.

"But I've been searching for you for two years, Thor. I missed you and I don't want to feel like I've lost you again. I don't want to feel alone here," she said, scrubbing at her face and taking a calming breath. "Something obviously happened to me. I don't remember what, but I can still feel the fear."

"There is nothing for you to fear, Jane. Not while I am here," Thor promised.

"Maybe I don't, but your people are scared of me. I don't feel wanted here," she said quietly, staring at her fidgeting thumbs again.

"Very well then," he said suddenly, rising to his feet and beginning to undo the armor he still wore. He already had Odin's blessing and that should be all that mattered to any who dared gossip. Jane honestly tried not to look but couldn't help herself when he tugged his tunic off.

"Oh my God, what happened to you?" she demanded, scurrying off the bed.

"Jane!" he cried in shock, trying to usher her back to the bed. But she ducked beneath his arm and inspected the marks on his back. Various bruise lines, faint though they were now, crisscrossed against his back. One even reached across the back of his neck. She traced at them gingerly, trying to puzzle out what had caused them.

"Where did these come from?" she asked in horror, brows knitting together. Thor was honestly confused, as he had felt no pain. And it wasn't until she had snatched up the looking glass to show him did he understand what she was talking about.

"Oh, those are nothing more than marks from battle with Malekith," he replied simply, returning the looking glass to its shelf. "Do not worry, love, for they won't be there in the morning."

"How can you be sure?" she asked. "They look days old, surely they'll be there for another week or more."

"Do you see anything here?" he asked, pointing to the very spot Sif had worried over. Jane shook her head. "We went to Svartalfheim not two days past to confront Malekith. We cracked heads and his helmet managed to split my brow. Yet there is nothing there."

"How is that possible?" Jane marveled, lightly running her fingers over the spot he had pointed out.

"Asgardians heal very fast, Jane," he replied. "Those marks on my back occurred this morning in battle with you and Malekith," he said, then froze like he had been in the sights of a bilgesnipe.

"Me and Malekith," Jane said in horror, stepping back until she bumped into the bed and dropped onto its feathery softness. "Is that why they fear me?" she asked, lip trembling. She couldn't even bring herself to look Thor in the eyes.

"Not exactly, Jane," he said slowly, choosing his words very carefully. "The only people who should know of our battle would be my father and Loki, possibly Sif and the Warriors Three. My people only fear you because of the Aether's infection. You were not yourself and you lashed out at those who meant only to help you." He sat softly on the bed beside her.

"I wish I could remember what happened," she said, biting her lip and staring at the ground. "That way I would know what to apologize for."

"Please do not blame yourself, Jane," Thor pleaded. When she remained quiet, he decided with a sigh that the honest route would serve them best. He would not relish telling her of it, but she was strong and possibly needed to hear it.

"Where are you going?" Jane asked when he stood to his feet and snatched up his tunic.

"To fetch some wine and ale," he responded. "I believe you should know what actually happened and you can eat while I tell you." Jane's soft smile was thankful and nervous at the same time. He leaned over to kiss her forehead before making his way to the kitchens. He bumped into one of the newer Healers just outside the door.

"Oh, my Lord, I did not see you there," she apologized, ducking her head.

"Tis nothing, Neri," he replied.

"Doth she wake?" she asked. Thor was slightly confused by her speech but realized that he had spent too much time on Earth of late. He had fallen out of the speaking patterns of his own people.

"She does, but I fear that she won't rest unless I stay to watch over her," he replied. Neri nodded, understanding and relief evident on her features. "I was just on my way to retrieve some food and drink for her."

"So you will care for her during the night and I need not call upon her until morning?" she asked. Thor nodded. "If that will be all, then I shall be on my way." He almost reached out for Neri's arm, intent on asking if she would like to become Jane's handmaiden, but resisted the urge and let her scurry away. Surely she did not wish to be a handmaiden once more.

Thor returned a few moments later, carrying a plate of fruit and cheese and two pitchers as well. Asgard did not have the drinks that Jane found so delightful but he hoped that the wine would suffice. She was standing at the balcony when he entered, watching the torches and lamps being lit along the streets far below. She turned towards him when the door shut and nearly attacked the food he carried before he could even set it down. With a chuckle, he released the plate to her and set about pouring their drinks.

"You are quite ravenous," Thor observed, offering her a goblet of wine.

"I feel like I haven't eaten in days," she said, pausing to take a drink. "That Aether must have been more parasitic than I thought."

"Parasitic?" he asked in confusion.

"Parasite?" Jane offered. "You know, something that feeds from a living host."

"Ah, that makes much sense," he said, selecting a piece of marbled cheese from the platter and popping it into his mouth. "Jane, you must know that I do not blame you for what you did while under the Aether's control. And that my people shouldn't either."

"But they do anyways," she argued.

"True, but they will soon see the error of their ways," Thor said. "The Aether changed you, inside and out."

Thor spent a good portion of the night recounting his most recent battle to save the Nine Realms. When he was finished, a look of sorrow was upon Jane as he knew it might well be. She picked at one of the stems of fruit, mulling over everything that she had done.

"I guess that explains why I feel like Tony used me as a punching bag," she quipped, deciding to make light of it.

"T'was not my intention, but I was left with no choice," Thor said defensively. "Jane, I dare not live without you but I could not stand by your side knowing what had been done."

"It's alright, Thor," she said, inhaling heavily and stretching. With a yawn, she set her empty goblet aside and looked back up at the God of Thunder. "You did what you had to do and I thank you for it. You brought me back," she said, smiling as she cupped his bearded cheek. He returned the smile, moving to the other side of the bed and pulling back the covers.

"Now that we have that sorted out," he said, dropping onto the bed like a child and letting out a small laugh. "We are both exhausted and should rest. Some more so than others, I believe." Jane smiled gently, crawling into bed as well. It wasn't long before she was curled up against him, unable to resist the urge any longer. Thor hid a smile against her hair, tucking her against his side.

* * *

**R&R as always, please!**

**~LE**


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